Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre's sexual assault lawsuit against Prince Andrew will go to trial in late 2022, judge says

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• Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre has accused Prince Andrew of sexual assault in a lawsuit. 
• The decide within the case stated Wednesday he expects to set a trial date between September and December 2022. 
• Both sides informed the decide they anticipate to depose eight to 12 individuals, however it's unclear if the royal might be amongst them. 

A sexual assault lawsuit towards Britain's Prince Andrew is predicted to go to trial someday within the fall or early winter of 2022, the US decide within the case stated throughout a Wednesday listening to. 

Virginia Giuffre, one of many late financier Jeffrey Epstein's accusers, filed a lawsuit towards the 61-year-old royal in August, alleging that he sexually assaulted her when she was 17 in New York, London, and the US Virgin Islands. She is looking for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. 

Prince Andrew has denied the allegations, and courtroom paperwork show his lawyers are seeking to portray Giuffre as somebody making an attempt to revenue off false accusations.

US District Decide Lewis A. Kaplan, of the Southern District of New York, is presiding over the case. In a listening to Wednesday morning, which Insider attended by way of teleconference, Kaplan stated he anticipated the case to go to trial someday between September and December 2022. 

Kaplan additionally requested attorneys for each side how many individuals they deliberate to depose within the case, and both sides gave a ballpark determine of eight to 12 witnesses. It was unclear whether or not the Duke of York can be among the many individuals the attorneys would depose. 

In an interview final yr, the royal claimed that he had no recollection of assembly Giuffre, regardless of the existence of a photograph of the 2 collectively. For his half, Andrew beforehand indicated that he believes the photograph may be fake. 

Earlier than Andrew turned the topic of the Giuffre lawsuit, the FBI had been trying to get him to talk about his relationship with Epstein, however claimed the Duke had been unresponsive. Andrew hit again at that remark in January 2020, saying he by no means acquired a request. He nonetheless has but to talk to authorities on the matter. 

Andrew has employed Melissa Lerner and Andrew Brad Brettler of Los Angeles-based regulation agency Lavely & Singer to characterize him. 

Andrew's authorized staff filed a motion to dismiss the case final week, arguing that Giuffre's lawsuit violates a settlement agreement with Epstein. On the listening to on Wednesday, attorneys for Giuffre stated they deliberate to answer that movement by November 29.