Andrew’s lawyers hope papers will end sex case
A US judge has agreed for Prince Andrew’s lawyers to receive a copy of a 2009 settlement they believe will nullify the sexual assault civil claim against the royal.
Andrew B Brettler, who represents the Duke of York, had argued at a previous hearing that Virginia Giuffre – who is suing Andrew for alleged sexual assault – had entered into a “settlement agreement” that would end her current lawsuit.
Ms Giuffre’s lawyer David Boies was granted permission by Judge Loretta Preska to supply the duke’s legal team with the previously sealed document. But Mr Boies believes it is “irrelevant to the case against Prince Andrew”.
During the first pre-trial hearing last month, Andrew’s lawyer said: “There has been a settlement agreement that the plaintiff has entered into in a prior action that releases the duke and others from any and all potential liability.”
Mr Brettler was referring to the 2009 settlement between Ms Giuffre and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein of a Florida state case to which the duke was not a party. Ms Giuffre, below, is suing the Queen’s son for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was 17 and a minor under US law.
She is seeking unspecified damages, but there is speculation the sum could be millions of dollars.
She claims she was trafficked by US financier Epstein, who was found dead in a New York prison cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in 2019, to have sex with Andrew. The Prince strongly denies all the allegations.
In a court document filed yesterday, Judge Preska agreed to Mr Boies’ request to provide Andrew’s legal team with the document.
In a previous court paper, Mr Boies told Judge Preska: “Although we believe the release is irrelevant to the case against Prince Andrew, now that service has been accepted and the case is proceeding to a determination on the merits, we believe counsel for Prince Andrew have a right to review the release and make whatever arguments they believe appropriate based on it.” Meanwhile, the Duchess of York, has praised the Queen and aligned herself to the Royal Family despite being effectively exiled after her 1996 divorce from Prince Andrew. Sarah Ferguson, 61, who stayed at Balmoral with her ex and the Queen last month, said: “She’s such an extraordinary, legendary, iconic monarch that leads by example. And for me, we get on with it and move together as a unit.”
Her comments come after it emerged she could be ordered to testify in the Duke’s sex case.