Prince Andrew could go to trial in sexual abuse case by next fall, judge says

By Sonia Moghe, CNN

A Manhattan federal judge said Britain’s Prince Andrew may face a trial date between September and December of 2022 in a civil case involving a woman who is suing him for allegedly sexually abusing her when she was a minor.

US District Judge Lewis Kaplan said during a status conference Wednesday that, due to the pandemic, it’s difficult to set an exact trial date because of problems accommodating juries safely.

The case involves a woman named Virginia Giuffre, who alleges she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and forced to have sex with his friends, including the the prince.

Giuffre alleged the assaults happened in London, New York and the US Virgin Islands — and that Andrew was aware that she was 17 years old when the alleged incidents began.

In a motion to dismiss filed on October 29, an attorney for Andrew said he “unequivocally denies Giuffre’s false allegations against him.”

There may be between 16 and 24 witnesses deposed by both sides in the case, some of whom are British citizens, attorney David Boies, who represents Giuffre, and attorney Andrew Brettler, who represents the prince, said during the telephone conference Wednesday.

Attorneys for Giuffre are expected to respond to Andrew’s motion to dismiss by November 29, and Andrew’s attorneys can reply by December 13.

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