Virginia Giuffre has repeatedly repeated her serious allegations against Prince Andrew: He is said to have had sex with the then minor more than 20 years ago – according to her own statements, she was forced to do so by the notorious US multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein. Even if Andrew categorically denies the allegations, the palace has now distanced itself from him – a process is more likely. How the abuse scandal could continue.
Question: How likely is a trial in the US at the moment?
Answer: “I think a trial is very likely, almost certain,” says legal expert and attorney Neama Rahmani, a former US Attorney. Civil lawsuits are usually settled out of court, but Rahmani believes this case is different. Many victims declined to testify publicly, but Giuffre was very open about their allegations and wanted to tell their story. In addition, a lawsuit is their best way to get a large amount of damages.
The high-profile lawyer Sarah Krissoff, on the other hand, is much more skeptical about the possibility of civil proceedings. She notes that Prince Andrew should have a keen interest in an out-of-court settlement to avoid embarrassingly detailed accounts in court. Therefore he could possibly propose a good deal to Giuffre.
Question: When could a possible court case start? Answer: At a hearing in November, Judge Lewis Kaplan named fall 2022 as a possible date for a main trial.
Question: What verdict could Prince Andrew expect? Answer: Since this is a civil lawsuit, apart from further image damage, the only consequences for Andrew can only be financial. Any monetary possessions of the royals in the USA and accounts could then be targeted by the judiciary for this purpose – provided that Virginia Giuffre gets justice. Prison sentences or the like are only possible in criminal proceedings.
Question: What options does Andrew have now?
Answer: In theory, the 61-year-old could cooperate with the court and try to prove his innocence. Expert Rahmani sees this as very unlikely: First, Prince Andrew is not obliged to travel to the United States and cannot be forced to cooperate. Secondly, any collaboration carries the risk of making itself vulnerable to criminal charges.
Question: So there is no way that US authorities could seek the Prince’s extradition?
Answer: At least not in connection with the current civil proceedings.
Question: Can Andrew be forced to give sworn testimony?
Answer: According to Rahmani, that is not possible either. The Duke of York could be asked by the judge to testify. But if he does not follow, the only option left for the court is to order the jury to assume that Prince Andrew’s testimony would have harmed him.
Question: Is there also the possibility of criminal proceedings?
Answer: Attorney Krissoff cautions that the legal bar to criminal indictment at the US federal level is very high. Colleague Rahmani, on the other hand, says that this is “certainly a possibility”. After Jeffrey Epstein’s arrest, investigators tried to speak to Andrew as a witness, but this never took place. It is unclear whether prosecutors are specifically investigating him or whether there are any unpublished charges. “I expect that if there is enough credible evidence, the US Attorney’s Office will indict anyone involved in the sexual abuse involving Epstein, whether it’s Prince Andrew or anyone else,” Rahmani said.
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