Prince Andrew hearing – live: Maxwell witness claims Virginia Giuffre told her in 2001 about sex with Duke
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Prince Andrew’s legal team face further pressure after a victim of Jeffrey Epstein claimed last night that Virginia Giuffre told her in 2001 that she had had sex with the Duke.
Carolyn Andriano, who testified in the trial of sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, has claimed in an interview with the Daily Mail that the then-17-year-old Ms Giuffre confided in her at the time of the incident.
Ms Andriano’s claims are the first contemporaneous report of the alleged sexual assault. Prince Andrew strongly denies any wrong doing and has previously said that he cannot remember meeting Ms Giuffre.
Prince Andrew’s representatives were contacted for comment.
Both Prince Andrew and Ms Giuffre’s legal teams are waiting on a decision from a New York judge about whether their civil case can go to trial.
The judge overseeing Prince Andrew’s bid to dismiss the lawsuit from Ms Giuffre promised to hand down a ruling “pretty soon” after a heated hearing on Tuesday. However no decision has yet been made.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Prince Andrew’s lawyers argued the 2009 agreement signed by Epstein and Ms Giuffre protects the Duke of York and should be grounds for dismissing her current suit against him.
Key Points
Judge offers Giuffre a crucial argument against dismissal
Prince Andrew accuser’s settlement deal with Epstein made public
Court blocked attempts by Prince Andrews lawyers to dismiss the lawsuit
Duke ‘rushing’ sale of Swiss chalet as legal bills mount, report says
Sarah Ferguson ‘part of the defence team’, report says
Queen could fund Virginia Giuffre pay out, Telegraph claims
15:16 , Holly Bancroft
The Queen could be asked to fund a settlement fee for Prince Andrew’s accuser Virginia Giuffre, The Telegraph has claimed.
The option of reaching a financial settlement has not been ruled out as Prince Andrew’s legal team faces the prospect of a trial.
The Telegraph alleges that the Queen has been funding Prince Andrew’s legal fees since last February. The Duke of York is also reportedly selling his Verbier ski chalet to fund the legal fight.
Prince Andrew awaits judge’s ruling on Giuffre civil case
14:34 , Holly Bancroft
Prince Andrew is still waiting for a ruling from a New York judge on whether the sexual assault civil case brought against him by Viriginia Giuffre will be thrown out of court.
Following Tuesday’s hearing, New York Southern District Judge Lewis Kaplan told lawyers that he would provide his ruling “pretty soon”, but no decision has yet been made.
The hearing this week considered whether a settlement agreement between Jeffrey Epstein and Ms Giuffre would offer Prince Andrew protection from further legal action.
If the judge rules in Ms Giuffre’s favour then a jury trial could go ahead later this year.
This could leave Prince Andrew in the difficult position of having to provide evidence in the trial.
What does all this mean for the royal family?
05:02 , Oliver O'Connell
Sean O’Grady considers the ramifications of the ongoing civil case against Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, on the wider institution of the monarchy.
The royals will survive – regardless of what happens to Prince Andrew | Sean O’Grady
Sarah Ferguson ‘part of the defence team’, report says
04:01 , Oliver O'Connell
A senior royal source has revealed that Prince Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, is a key member of his legal defence team, according to a report.
The New York Post quotes the source as saying: “No one from inside Buckingham Palace has been involved in Prince Andrew’s case, or even knows anything much.”
“It’s really just the Duke of York, Fergie, and his lawyers,” they add.
Another source said that Sarah, Duchess of York, who divorced from Prince Andrew in 1996, is so supportive of him that she has met with him and his legal team in strategy sessions.
She was reportedly with the Duke when he met with his lawyer Andrew Brettler in the summer of 2021.
The pair live together at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, and the Duchess was seen in Verbier, Switzerland this past weekend with their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie and their respective husbands and children.
The Duke is currently selling his chalet at the Swiss ski resort, reportedly to cover legal costs.
What happened in court this week?
03:04 , Oliver O'Connell
Prince Andrew’s lawyers came under withering questioning from a judge deciding whether Virginia Giuffre’s sexual abuse lawsuit should be allowed to proceed to trial.
Ms Giuffre’s civil lawsuit alleges that she was forced to have sex with Jeffrey Epstein’s friends when she was 17, including the Duke of York.
Prince Andrew, 61, has strongly denied the allegations, and claims Ms Giuffre is after a “payday at his expense”.
Bevan Hurley reports on what happened in court this week.
Prince Andrew’s effort to dismiss sexual abuse case flounders under tough questioning
Who is Prince Andrew’s accuser and what are her allegations?
02:03 , Oliver O'Connell
Megan Sheets profiles Virginia Giuffre, the woman who claims she was sex trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and is now mounting a civil lawsuit accusing Prince Andrew of sexual assault.
What are the allegations in Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against Prince Andrew?
What was Virginia Giuffre’s settlement agreement with Epstein
01:01 , Oliver O'Connell
Details of a settlement between Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre that Prince Andrew’s lawyers believe will stop him facing a sex abuse lawsuit were made public on the eve of a pivotal court hearing in the case against the royal.
Bevan Hurley reports.
Prince Andrew accuser’s settlement with Jeffrey Epstein made public
Duke ‘rushing’ sale of Swiss chalet as legal bills mount, report says
00:02 , Oliver O'Connell
Prince Andrew is reportedly attempting to rush through the sale of his £17m chalet in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier as the bills mount in his legal battle against Virginia Giuffre.
The Duke of York is waiting for a US judge to decide whether to dismiss Ms Giuffre’s civil case against him.
Chiara Giordano reports.
Prince Andrew ‘rushing through sale of £17m Swiss chalet’ as legal bills spiral
Revisiting the ‘jaw-dropping’ Newsnight interview
Friday 7 January 2022 23:05 , Oliver O'Connell
BBC journalist Emily Maitlis has given a behind-the-scenes account of what she called a “jaw-dropping” interview she conducted with Prince Andrew in 2019.
Laurie Churchman reports.
Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview was ‘jaw-dropping’, says presenter Emily Maitlis
Editorial: What can be done with the turbulent second son?
Friday 7 January 2022 22:05 , Oliver O'Connell
Editorial: What can be done about the Queen’s turbulent second son, the Duke of York?
What does all this mean for the royal family?
Friday 7 January 2022 21:05 , Oliver O'Connell
Sean O’Grady considers the ramifications of the ongoing civil case against Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, on the wider institution of the monarchy.
The royals will survive – regardless of what happens to Prince Andrew | Sean O’Grady
Duke just one of a number of famous names mentioned in Maxwell trial
Friday 7 January 2022 20:23 , Oliver O'Connell
Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein rubbed shoulders with a large number of rich and powerful people, from the Duke of York to former presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton.
Many of these people were mentioned during testimony at Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial in December, though none were accused of wrongdoing.
Bevan Hurley reports.
From Trump to Prince Andrew: All the biggest names embroiled in the Maxwell trial
Sarah Ferguson ‘part of the defence team’, report says
Friday 7 January 2022 19:57 , Oliver O'Connell
A senior royal source has revealed that Prince Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, is a key member of his legal defence team, according to a report.
The New York Post quotes the source as saying: “No one from inside Buckingham Palace has been involved in Prince Andrew’s case, or even knows anything much.”
“It’s really just the Duke of York, Fergie, and his lawyers,” they add.
Another source said that Sarah, Duchess of York, who divorced from Prince Andrew in 1996, is so supportive of him that she has met with him and his legal team in strategy sessions.
She was reportedly with the Duke when he met with his lawyer Andrew Brettler in the summer of 2021.
The pair live together at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, and the Duchess was seen in Verbier, Switzerland this past weekend with their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie and their respective husbands and children.
The Duke is currently selling his chalet at the Swiss ski resort, reportedly to cover legal costs.
What happened in court this week?
Friday 7 January 2022 19:10 , Oliver O'Connell
Prince Andrew’s lawyers came under withering questioning from a judge deciding whether Virginia Giuffre’s sexual abuse lawsuit should be allowed to proceed to trial.
Ms Giuffre’s civil lawsuit alleges that she was forced to have sex with Jeffrey Epstein’s friends when she was 17, including the Duke of York.
Prince Andrew, 61, has strongly denied the allegations, and claims Ms Giuffre is after a “payday at his expense”.
Bevan Hurley reports on what happened in court this week.
Prince Andrew’s effort to dismiss sexual abuse case flounders under tough questioning
Who is Prince Andrew’s accuser and what are her allegations?
Friday 7 January 2022 18:10 , Oliver O'Connell
Megan Sheets profiles Virginia Giuffre, the woman who claims she was sex trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and is now mounting a civil lawsuit accusing Prince Andrew of sexual assault.
What are the allegations in Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against Prince Andrew?
How was the Duke connected to Ghislaine Maxwell?
Friday 7 January 2022 17:10 , Oliver O'Connell
Bevan Hurley examines the history of the relationship between Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein.
What were Prince Andrew’s ties to Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein?
What was Virginia Giuffre’s settlement agreement with Epstein
Friday 7 January 2022 16:10 , Oliver O'Connell
Details of a settlement between Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre that Prince Andrew’s lawyers believe will stop him facing a sex abuse lawsuit were made public on the eve of a pivotal court hearing in the case against the royal.
Bevan Hurley reports.
Prince Andrew accuser’s settlement with Jeffrey Epstein made public
Giuffre will not agree to a settlement, report says
Friday 7 January 2022 15:27 , Oliver O'Connell
Virginia Giuffre, who alleges she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew three times when she was aged 17 on the orders of her abuser Jeffrey Epstein, will not agree to an out-of-court settlement, a report says, citing insiders.
It is believed that she would prefer a trial to send a message that those “with power and privilege” accused of sex crimes against girls will be held accountable under the law.
Agreeing to a multi-million-pound settlement with Prince Andrew would not advance that message, The Telegraph reports.
Duke ‘rushing’ sale of Swiss chalet as legal bills mount, report says
Friday 7 January 2022 14:57 , Oliver O'Connell
Prince Andrew is reportedly attempting to rush through the sale of his £17m chalet in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier as the bills mount in his legal battle against Virginia Giuffre.
The Duke of York is waiting for a US judge to decide whether to dismiss Ms Giuffre’s civil case against him.
Chiara Giordano reports.
Prince Andrew ‘rushing through sale of £17m Swiss chalet’ as legal bills spiral
Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview was ‘jaw-dropping’, says presenter Emily Maitlis
Friday 7 January 2022 14:20 , Charlene Rodrigues
BBC journalist Emily Maitlis has given a behind-the-scenes account of what she called a “jaw-dropping” interview she conducted with Prince Andrew in 2019.
It comes as a New York judge decides whether to allow Virginia Giuffre, the trafficking victim of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, to pursue her civil case against the Duke of York.
In a BBC article published on Tuesday evening, the Newsnight presenter detailed how the prince told her in advance about some of the claims in the 2019 interview – including the moment he said he was unable to sweat.Laurie Churchman has more.
Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview was ‘jaw-dropping’, says presenter Emily Maitlis
No guarantee of new Maxwell trial after juror’s abuse revelations, experts say
Friday 7 January 2022 13:30 , Charlene Rodrigues
The possible failure of a juror in Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial to disclose that he was a victim of sexual abuse may not be enough to overturn the British socialite’s sex trafficking conviction and warrant a new trial, legal experts said Thursday.
Maxwell, 60, was convicted last week on sex trafficking and other charges for recruiting teenage girls to have sexual encounters with Jeffrey Epstein.
Her lawyers asked for a new trial after the juror told Reuters and other news outlets that he shared his experience of sexual abuse during deliberations.
Prince Andrew’s attempt to dismiss sexual abuse case flounders under tough questioning from judge
Friday 7 January 2022 12:29 , Charlene Rodrigues
Prince Andrew’s lawyers came under withering questioning from a judge on Tuesday who was deciding whether Virginia Giuffre’s sexual abuse lawsuit should be allowed to proceed to trial.
Ms Giuffre’s civil lawsuit alleges that she was forced to have sex with Jeffrey Epstein’s friends when she was 17, including the Duke of York.
Prince Andrew, 61, has strongly denied the allegations, and claims Ms Giuffre is after a “payday at his expense”.
Bevan Hurley has the full report.
Prince Andrew’s effort to dismiss sexual abuse case flounders under tough questioning
Ghislaine Maxwell trial juror hires lawyer as second member of jury reveals sexual abuse
Friday 7 January 2022 11:52 , Charlene Rodrigues
A member of the jury which convicted Ghislaine Maxwell of sex trafficking has hired a lawyer, after the revelation that he himself faced sexual abuse as a child prompted the British socialite’s attorneys to say that they will request a new trial.
The anonymous juror, who first publicly revealed his own personal experience of sexual abuse in an interview with The Independent this week, has now sought legal representation from New York attorney Todd Spodek.
It came as a second anonymous juror came forward to say that they too had faced sexual abuse as a child, in an interview with the New York Times.
In separate interviews, both individuals said that they had shared their experiences with the rest of the jury, and that their revelations had seemed to help shape the jury’s discussions and understanding.
The Independent’s Andy Gregory has more.
Maxwell trial juror hires lawyer as second member of jury says they were also abused
Prince Andrew’s lawyers set to urge US judge to dismiss sexual assault lawsuit
Friday 7 January 2022 10:25 , Charlene Rodrigues
The Duke of York has denied claims of repeated sexual assault made by Virginia Giuffre, who alleges that she had been trafficked by now-deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when she was 17 – a minor under US law.
The Independent’s Lamiat Sabin has more.
Prince Andrew’s lawyers set to urge US judge to dismiss sexual assault lawsuit
What can be done about the Queen’s turbulent second son, the Duke of York?
Friday 7 January 2022 09:15 , Charlene Rodrigues
Such is human nature that not everyone who happens to be born into the House of Windsor is as cautious and dutiful as, say, Her Majesty – genetics has its limits.
For more, read The Independent’s editorial below.
Editorial: What can be done about the Queen’s turbulent second son, the Duke of York?
From Trump to Prince Andrew: All the famous names embroiled in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial
Friday 7 January 2022 08:39 , Charlene Rodrigues
Those decades-long connections formed a key role in Ms Maxwell’s trial for sex-trafficking at the federal courthouse in Manhattan.
Ms Maxwell would frequently boast of her close friendships with Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew and Donald Trump, her accusers have testified.Bevan Hurley writes.
From Trump to Prince Andrew: All the biggest names embroiled in the Maxwell trial
Who is Virginia Giuffre and what are her allegations against Prince Andrew?
Friday 7 January 2022 07:17 , Charlene Rodrigues
Virginia Roberts Giuffre, 38, filed her suit against the Duke of York in the Southern District Court of New York in August under the state’s Child Victims Act.
The suit alleges Prince Andrew sexually abused Ms Giuffre as a teenager on multiple occasions in London, Manhattan, and the US Virgin Islands in 2001 - allegations which he denies.Megan Sheets has this report.
What are the allegations in Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against Prince Andrew?
What can be done about the Queen’s turbulent second son, the Duke of York?
Friday 7 January 2022 04:30 , Bevan Hurley
Such is the nature of the hereditary principle that, sometimes, less than ideal personalities pop up in the line of royal succession or elsewhere as prominent members of the family; people whose sense of judgement can be problematic, to put it mildly, and cause trouble.
Such is human nature, indeed, that not everyone who happens to be born into the House of Windsor is as cautious and dutiful as, say, the Queen – genetics has its limits.
What, then, can be done with and about her turbulent second son, the Duke of York?
Read The Independent’s editorial below.
Editorial: What can be done about the Queen’s turbulent second son, the Duke of York?
All the famous names embroiled in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial
Friday 7 January 2022 03:45 , Bevan Hurley
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell palled around with presidents, movie stars and royalty, hosting household names aboard private jets and at palatial properties all over the world.
Other names that Maxwell frequently boast of her close friendships with were Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew and Donald Trump.
Read more below.
From Trump to Prince Andrew: All the biggest names embroiled in the Maxwell trial
Prince Andrew will have to jump over ‘four hurdles’ to have sexual assault case dismissed
Friday 7 January 2022 03:00 , Bevan Hurley
Prince Andrew faces an uphill battle to have his sexual assault lawsuit dismissed, legal commentators say.
English lawyer David Allen Green wrote that Andrew’s lawyers would have to clear “four hurdles” to convince a judge to throw out Virginia Giuffre’s civil case.
“To win, Andrew’s lawyers have to show that: agreement as whole can be constructed so as to cover him; the phrase ‘potential defendant’ should be interpreted to cover him; there is no rule of law/policy that prevents enforcement; he can enforce it without privity.”
Mr Allen Green said on his Law and Policy blog that the 2009 settlement agreement between Jeffrey Epstein and Ms Giuffre that Andrew’s lawyers claimed absolved him of liability was far from clear.
“If Andrew – by reasons of residence/jurisdiction, or the facts alleged by Giuffre in the Florida case – was not capable of being a defendant to the Florida proceedings then – as a matter of construction – then it is difficult for me to see how he can take the benefit of the General Release,” he wrote.
“In essence: if Andrew could not have been jointly or separately liable for the tort claim within the Florida jurisdiction then the General Release may not apply.”
Prince Andrew could have avoided Virginia Giuffre sexual assault lawsuit with apology
Friday 7 January 2022 02:15 , Bevan Hurley
Prince Andrew could have avoided being sued for sexual assault by Virginia Giuffre if he had apologised for his actions, sources tell the New York Post.
“Virginia has always just wanted the prince to acknowledge that he did something he shouldn’t have, she wants him to apologise,” a source with knowledge of Ms Giuffre’s thoughts told the paper.
“She has never made this all about money.”
Prince Andrew’s attorney Andrew Brettler argued that the civil lawsuit should be thrown out during oral arguments before Judge Lewis Kaplan on Tuesday.
His claims that a $500,000 settlement deal signed in 2009 between Ms Giuffre and Jeffrey Epstein should absolve Andrew of liability appeared to flounder under intense questioning from Judge Kaplan.
The judge has promised to release a decision “soon”.
Ms Giuffre has accused the royal of sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Andrew has denied any wrongdoing.
ICYMI: Who is Virginia Giuffre and what are her allegations against Prince Andrew?
Friday 7 January 2022 01:30 , Bevan Hurley
Virginia Guiffre, also known as Virginia Roberts, first met now-convicted sex-trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000 at the age of 17, when she was working as a spa assistant in Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club, where Ms Giuffre’s father also worked as a maintenance manager.
Maxwell approached her and asked if she was interested in being a masseuse for Jeffrey Epstein. According to Ms Giuffre’s claims, both Epstein and Maxwell immediately began grooming her.
Ms Giuffre alleges she was trafficked and ordered to have sex with then 41-year-old Prince Andrew in 2001.
The Independent’s Megan Sheets has the full story.
What are the allegations in Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against Prince Andrew?
ICYMI: What were Prince Andrew’s ties to Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein?
Friday 7 January 2022 00:45 , Bevan Hurley
Prince Andrew may have hoped to avoid further embarrassment during Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial and subsequent conviction for child sex-trafficking last month.
But a single image shown to the jury reminded the world of his intimate ties to the socialite and her former boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein.
The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has more.
What were Prince Andrew’s ties to Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein?
ICYMI: Case dismissed against jail guards who ‘slept’ through Epstein’s suicide
Friday 7 January 2022 00:00 , Bevan Hurley
Two New York City prison guards who allegedly slept through disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein’s death have officially been cleared after a judge signed off on their non-prosecution agreement on Monday.
US District Judge Analisa Torres dismissed the case on Monday after the pair completed the terms of their agreement, Fox News reported.
Last May, Tova Noel and Michael Thomas were asked to serve 100 hours of community service over a six-month period.
Epstein died by suicide while awaiting a sex trafficking trial at the Metropolitan Correctional Centre in August 2019.
Reuters has more:
US judge dismisses case against Jeffrey Epstein’s jail guards
Voices | Prince Andrew may not need to sweat any longer
Thursday 6 January 2022 23:15 , Bevan Hurley
What a day to be Judge Lewis Kaplan, district judge serving on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York – the man with the fates of Virginia Roberts Giuffre and Prince Andrew in his hands, and the eyes of the world upon him.
If I were the judge, I’d be in no hurry, because either way, he will find himself under vicious attack.
If he did throw out the Giuffre claim, he’d be accused of allowing Prince Andrew to “get away with it”, being part of some establishment conspiracy and an enemy to the human rights of women and girls.
There’d be a storm, writes The Independent’s Sean O’Grady.
Read the full Voices piece below:
Prince Andrew may not need to sweat any longer | Sean O’Grady
Prince Andrew’s 2019 interview with BBC was 'jaw-dropping’
Thursday 6 January 2022 22:30 , Bevan Hurley
BBC journalist Emily Maitlis called the 2019 interview with Prince Andrew “jaw-dropping” in a behind-the-scenes account.
“At the time, the specifics seemed almost comical. But now, suddenly, they feel deadly serious,” Ms Maitlis said in a BBC article published on Tuesday night.
The prince was asked about his relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and questioned about allegations made by Virginia Giuffre. The duke strongly denies all the allegations against him.
Laurie Churchman has more.
Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview was ‘jaw-dropping’, says presenter Emily Maitlis
Prince Andrew’s attempt to dismiss sexual abuse case flounders under tough questioning from judge
Thursday 6 January 2022 21:45 , Bevan Hurley
Prince Andrew’s lawyers came under withering questioning from a judge on Tuesday who was deciding whether Virginia Giuffre’s sexual abuse lawsuit should be allowed to proceed to trial.
Ms Giuffre’s civil lawsuit alleges that she was forced to have sex with Jeffrey Epstein’s friends when she was 17, including the Duke of York.
Prince Andrew, 61, has strongly denied the allegations, and claims Ms Giuffre is after a “payday at his expense”.
Bevan Hurley has the full report below.
Prince Andrew’s effort to dismiss sexual abuse case flounders under tough questioning
What were Prince Andrew’s ties to Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein?
Thursday 6 January 2022 21:00 , Bevan Hurley
Prince Andrew’s presence in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial was most keenly felt in a photograph he didn’t appear in.
Government exhibit GX-347 showed a picture of Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein on a porch bench in the grounds of the Queen’s Balmoral estate in the Scottish Highlands.
The photo was taken on a trip the pair took to the royal manor in 1999 as the guest of Prince Andrew.
It was among 19 images released to the jury of Epstein and Maxwell in exotic locations appearing to be very much in love that were found on CDs taken from a 2019 FBI raid on Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse.
Bevan Hurley has the full story below.
What were Prince Andrew’s ties to Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein?
Prince Andrew will have to jump over ‘four hurdles’ to have sexual assault case dismissed
Thursday 6 January 2022 20:15 , Bevan Hurley
Prince Andrew faces an uphill battle to have his sexual assault lawsuit dismissed, legal commentators say.
English lawyer David Allen Green wrote that Andrew’s lawyers would have to clear “four hurdles” to convince a judge to throw out Virginia Giuffre’s civil case.
“To win, Andrew’s lawyers have to show that: agreement as whole can be constructed so as to cover him; the phrase ‘potential defendant’ should be interpreted to cover him; there is no rule of law/policy that prevents enforcement; he can enforce it without privity.”
Mr Allen Green said on his Law and Policy blog that the 2009 settlement agreement between Jeffrey Epstein and Ms Giuffre that Andrew’s lawyers claimed absolved him of liability was far from clear.
“If Andrew – by reasons of residence/jurisdiction, or the facts alleged by Giuffre in the Florida case – was not capable of being a defendant to the Florida proceedings then – as a matter of construction – then it is difficult for me to see how he can take the benefit of the General Release,” he wrote.
“In essence: if Andrew could not have been jointly or separately liable for the tort claim within the Florida jurisdiction then the General Release may not apply.”
ICYMI: Why was Virginia Giuffre not called to testify at Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex-trafficking trial?
Thursday 6 January 2022 19:15 , Bevan Hurley
Virginia Giuffre’s name was mentioned more than 200 times during Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex-trafficking trial.
But despite her being one of Maxwell’s most vocal and visible accusers, she was not called to testify.
The Independent’s Oliver O’Connell explores the reasons why prosecutors didn’t ask Ms Giuffre to give evidence.
Why is Virginia Giuffre not testifying at Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial?
Ghislaine Maxwell lawyers call for sex-trafficking convictions to be thrown out over juror sexual abuse comments
Thursday 6 January 2022 18:30 , Bevan Hurley
While a judge in New York considers whether to allow Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against Prince Andrew to move forward, lawyers for the royal’s former associate Ghislaine Maxwell are trying to have her convictions thrown out.
Attorney Christian Everdell told Judge Alison Nathan on Wednesday that a juror’s comments about being a victim of sexual abuse present “incontrovertible grounds for a new trial”.
Read the full story here.
Ghislaine Maxwell lawyers call for sex-trafficking convictions to be thrown out
ICYMI: What can be done about the Queen’s turbulent second son, the Duke of York?
Thursday 6 January 2022 17:45 , Bevan Hurley
Such is the nature of the hereditary principle that, sometimes, less than ideal personalities pop up in the line of royal succession or elsewhere as prominent members of the family; people whose sense of judgement can be problematic, to put it mildly, and cause trouble.
Such is human nature, indeed, that not everyone who happens to be born into the House of Windsor is as cautious and dutiful as, say, the Queen – genetics has its limits.
What, then, can be done with and about her turbulent second son, the Duke of York?
Read The Independent’s editorial here.
Editorial: What can be done about the Queen’s turbulent second son, the Duke of York?
Prince Andrew’s legal team hasn’t ruled out paying Ms Giuffre a settlement out of court
Thursday 6 January 2022 17:00 , Bevan Hurley
Settlement remains an option available for Prince Andrew’s legal team if a judge rules that the case brought by Virginia Giuffre should go to trial.
Insiders have suggested that the option “remains on the table” should Judge Lewis Kaplan reject the prince’s legal team’s motion to have Ms Giuffre’s lawsuit dismissed at an early stage.
A potential pay-off for Ms Giuffre has the potential to be “at least” several million pounds, reported The Telegraph
Currently, the case remains at the “technicality” stage which means that there are several other means of getting it dismissed.
These include a challenge to the court’s jurisdiction due to the fact that Ms Giuffre lives in Australia or asking for a summary judgment.
Prince Andrew may not need to sweat any longer
Thursday 6 January 2022 16:08 , Bevan Hurley
What a day to be Judge Lewis Kaplan, district judge serving on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York – the man with the fates of Virginia Roberts Giuffre and Prince Andrew in his hands, and the eyes of the world upon him, writes The Independent’s Sean O’Grady.
He must decide whether the text and the legal status of the settlement agreement Ms Giuffre signed with Jeffrey Epstein in 2009 means that her civil case for damages against Andrew is thrown out; or he can judge that it is irrelevant; or he can reserve judgement and order more “discovery” about the circumstances in which the text of the document was determined, and also have have more time to some to take a considered view about the legal points.
That might mean Andrew having to give some sort of statement, but that might be it. For the first time, Andrew’s lawyers would have gotten the better of the argument by demanding disclosure of the settlement agreement, and they’d have greatly increased Andrew’s chances of seeing it dismissed. His troubles would hardly be behind him, but they wouldn’t get much worse. Perhaps.
Read Sean O’Grady’s full story for The Independent’s Voices section below.
Prince Andrew may not need to sweat any longer | Sean O’Grady
Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview was ‘jaw-dropping’, says presenter Emily Maitlis
Thursday 6 January 2022 15:45 , Bevan Hurley
BBC journalist Emily Maitlis has given a behind-the-scenes account of what she called a “jaw-dropping” interview she conducted with Prince Andrew in 2019.
It comes as a New York judge decides whether to allow Virginia Giuffre, the trafficking victim of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, to pursue her civil case against the Duke of York.
In a BBC article published on Tuesday evening, the Newsnight presenter detailed how the prince told her in advance about some of the claims in the 2019 interview – including the moment he said he was unable to sweat.
The Independent’s Laurie Churchman has the story.
Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview was ‘jaw-dropping’, says presenter Emily Maitlis
What were Prince Andrew’s ties to Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein?
Thursday 6 January 2022 15:00 , Bevan Hurley
Prince Andrew’s presence in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial was most keenly felt in a photograph he didn’t appear in.
Government exhibit GX-347 showed a picture of Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein on a porch bench in the grounds of the Queen’s Balmoral estate in the Scottish Highlands.
The photo was taken on a trip the pair took to the royal manor in 1999 as the guest of Prince Andrew.
It was among 19 images released to the jury of Epstein and Maxwell in exotic locations appearing to be very much in love that were found on CDs taken from a 2019 FBI raid on Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse.
The Independent’s Bevan Hurley has more.
What were Prince Andrew’s ties to Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein?
ICYMI: What really happened on Epstein’s island?
Thursday 6 January 2022 14:14 , Bevan Hurley
The guests came from across the world, and from the highest ranks of society: celebrities and scientists and royalty such as Prince Andrew, touching down in a private jet and then boarding a helicopter to the island. Its owner liked to call it “Little St Jeff”; locals called it “paedophile island”.
But what is the truth about Little St James, the 75-acre private paradise in the US Virgin Islands that billionaire sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein once called home?
The island is now at the centre of a web of lawsuits and criminal investigations seeking to untangle the life of Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 at the age of 66 in what authorities claimed was a suicide.
The Independent’s Io Dodds has the story.
Epstein’s island: What really happened there?
Prince Andrew’s lawyer says accuser cannot sue in US as ‘she lives in Australia’
Thursday 6 January 2022 13:35 , Eleanor Sly
In a bid to have his accuser’s civil case thrown out of court in New York, the Duke of York has challenged Virginia Giuffre’s status as a US resident.
The prince’s lawyer, Andrew B Brettler, has called for a halt in the civil sexual assault proceedings against the royal as he claims that Ms Giuffre lives in Australia, not in the US as her legal filings suggest.
Ms Giuffre, 38, has claimed that she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and forced to have sex with the prince when she was 17 and legally a minor under US law. She is suing the prince in the Southern District Court of New York and alleges that the sexual abuse occurred in the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as in Mr Epstein’s New York townhouse and his private island in the Caribbean.
Celine Wadhera has more:
Prince Andrew’s lawyer says accuser cannot sue in US as ‘she lives in Australia’
Prince Andrew’s attempt to dismiss sexual abuse case flounders under tough questioning from judge
Thursday 6 January 2022 12:34 , Eleanor Sly
Prince Andrew’s lawyers have come under withering questioning from a judge deciding whether Virginia Giuffre’s sexual abuse lawsuit should be allowed to proceed to trial.
Ms Giuffre’s civil lawsuit alleges that she was forced to have sex with Jeffrey Epstein’s friends when she was 17, including the Duke of York.
Prince Andrew, 61, has strongly denied the allegations, and claims Ms Giuffre is after a “payday at his expense”.
Bevan Hurley has more:
Prince Andrew’s effort to dismiss sexual abuse case flounders under tough questioning
The royal family will survive – regardless of what happens to Prince Andrew
Thursday 6 January 2022 10:54 , Eleanor Sly
Even after the release and publication of the 2009 “settlement agreement” of Virginia Roberts (now Giuffre) and Jeffrey Epstein, there are still many things we do not know about Prince Andrew’s friendship with Epstein, a convicted paedophile, and what (if anything) went on between the Duke of York and Giuffre.
I put it that way because his representatives have denied all the claims, and the Duke himself decided to go on television to clear matters up personally – though, arguably, that Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis didn’t quite do the trick. Civil legal proceedings are continuing.
Giuffre is suing Prince Andrew for allegedly sexually assaulting her in London, New York and the Virgin Islands when she was a teenager. She is seeking unspecified damages. There is plenty of disputation on the facts, as well as purely legal procedural points about whether she is entitled to bring the claim because of her residency or the “settlement agreement” she reached with Epstein.
Writes Sean O’Grady:
The royals will survive – regardless of what happens to Prince Andrew | Sean O’Grady
Who is Virginia Giuffre and what are her allegations against Prince Andrew?
Thursday 6 January 2022 09:38 , Eleanor Sly
Virginia Roberts Giuffre, 38, filed a suit against the Duke of York in the Southern District Court of New York in August under the state’s Child Victims Act.
The suit alleges Prince Andrew sexually abused Ms Giuffre as a teenager on multiple occasions in London, Manhattan, and the US Virgin Islands in 2001 - allegations which he denies.
Prince Andrew’s legal team have sought to have the case dismissed, arguing that a 2009 settlement between Ms Giuffre and Epstein will stop the civil sex lawsuit against the royal.
Megan Sheets has more:
What are the allegations in Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against Prince Andrew?
Prince Andrew’s legal team hasn’t ruled out paying Ms Giuffre a settlement out of court
Thursday 6 January 2022 08:14 , Eleanor Sly
Settlement remains an option available for Prince Andrew’s legal team if a judge rules that the case brought by Virginia Giuffre should go to trial.
Insiders have suggested that the option “remains on the table” should Judge Lewis Kaplan reject the prince’s legal team’s motion to have Ms Giuffre’s lawsuit dismissed at an early stage.
A potential pay-off for Ms Giuffre has the potential to be “at least” several-million pounds, reported The Telegraph
Currently, the case remains at the “technicality” stage which means that there are several other means of getting it dismissed. These include a challenge to the court’s jurisdiction due to the fact that Ms Giuffre lives in Australia or asking for a summary judgment.
What can be done about the Queen’s turbulent second son, the Duke of York?
Thursday 6 January 2022 08:04 , Eleanor Sly
Such is human nature that not everyone who happens to be born into the House of Windsor is as cautious and dutiful as, say, Her Majesty – genetics has its limits.
Read more here:
Editorial: What can be done about the Queen’s turbulent second son, the Duke of York?
Jeffrey Epstein’s vague deal with Virginia Giuffre could save Prince Andrew?
Thursday 6 January 2022 07:10 , Stuti Mishra
A secret settlement deal between Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Roberts Giuffre could help Prince Andrew secure a dismissal of her sexual abuse case against him – but it all comes down to the judge.
The 2009 deal between the late paedophile and Ms Giuffre, was unsealed earlier, revealing she was paid $500,000 to settle all of her claims.
Epstein’s vague deal with accuser may help Prince Andrew, expert says
All the famous names embroiled in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial
Thursday 6 January 2022 06:25 , Stuti Mishra
Not just Prince Andrew, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell palled around with presidents, movie stars and royalty, hosting household names aboard private jets and at palatial properties all over the world.
Other names that Ms Maxwell frequently boast of her close friendships with were Bill Clinton, Prince and Donald Trump.
Read more:
From Trump to Prince Andrew: All the biggest names embroiled in the Maxwell trial
ICYMI: Who is Virginia Giuffre and what are her allegations against Prince Andrew?
Thursday 6 January 2022 05:15 , Stuti Mishra
Virginia Guiffre, also known as Virginia Roberts, first met now-convicted sex-trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000 at the age of 17, when she was working as a spa assistant in Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club, where Ms Giuffre’s father also worked as a maintenance manager.
Maxwell approached her and asked if she was interested in being a masseuse for Jeffrey Epstein. According to Ms Giuffre’s claims, both Epstein and Maxwell immediately began grooming her.
Ms Giuffre, now 38, alleges she was trafficked and ordered to have sex with then 41-year-old Prince Andrew in 2001.
The Independent’s Megan Sheets has the full story.
What are the allegations in Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against Prince Andrew?
Prince Andrew may not need to sweat any longer
Thursday 6 January 2022 04:30 , Bevan Hurley
What a day to be Judge Lewis Kaplan, district judge serving on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York – the man with the fates of Virginia Roberts Giuffre and Prince Andrew in his hands, and the eyes of the world upon him, writes The Independent’s Sean O’Grady.
He must decide whether the text and the legal status of the settlement agreement Ms Giuffre signed with Jeffrey Epstein in 2009 means that her civil case for damages against Andrew is thrown out; or he can judge that it is irrelevant; or he can reserve judgement and order more “discovery” about the circumstances in which the text of the document was determined, and also have have more time to some to take a considered view about the legal points.
That might mean Andrew having to give some sort of statement, but that might be it. For the first time, Andrew’s lawyers would have gotten the better of the argument by demanding disclosure of the settlement agreement, and they’d have greatly increased Andrew’s chances of seeing it dismissed. His troubles would hardly be behind him, but they wouldn’t get much worse. Perhaps.
Read Sean O’Grady’s full story for The Independent’s Voices section below.
Prince Andrew may not need to sweat any longer | Sean O’Grady
Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview was ‘jaw-dropping’, says presenter Emily Maitlis
Thursday 6 January 2022 03:30 , Bevan Hurley
BBC journalist Emily Maitlis has given a behind-the-scenes account of what she called a “jaw-dropping” interview she conducted with Prince Andrew in 2019.
It comes as a New York judge decides whether to allow Virginia Giuffre, the trafficking victim of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, to pursue her civil case against the Duke of York.
In a BBC article published on Tuesday evening, the Newsnight presenter detailed how the prince told her in advance about some of the claims in the 2019 interview – including the moment he said he was unable to sweat.
The Independent’s Laurie Churchman has the story.
Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview was ‘jaw-dropping’, says presenter Emily Maitlis
ICYMI: Epstein’s island: What really happened there?
Thursday 6 January 2022 02:30 , Bevan Hurley
The guests came from across the world, and from the highest ranks of society: celebrities and scientists and royalty such as Prince Andrew, touching down in a private jet and then boarding a helicopter to the island. Its owner liked to call it “Little St Jeff”; locals called it “paedophile island”.
But what is the truth about Little St James, the 75-acre private paradise in the US Virgin Islands that billionaire sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein once called home?
The island is now at the centre of a web of lawsuits and criminal investigations seeking to untangle the life of Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 at the age of 66 in what authorities claimed was a suicide.
The Independent’s Io Dodds has the story.
