Prince Andrew Will Face Trial in the US, Judge Rejects Attempted Dismissal

it appears that the ‘Duke of York’ will face trial in the United States.

Judge Lewis Kaplin denied Prince Andrew‘s multiple attempts at dismissing the sex abuse lawsuit filed against him by Virginia Giuffre.

Giuffre alleges that Andrew sexually assaulted her when she was only 17 years old.

She said that Andrew, along with Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell “compelled her to engage in sexual acts by express or implied threat.”

Giuffre claims that she “feared death or physical injury” if she didn’t obey.

Andrew has continually denied the claims.

Judge Kaplin said that Giuffre’s complaint “alleges discrete incidents of sexual abuse in particular circumstances at three identifiable locations. It identifies to whom it attributes that sexual abuse.”

A federal judge denies Prince Andrew's motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre, who alleges she was sexually trafficked to the UK royalhttps://t.co/0yntvp9XNP

— CNN (@CNN) January 12, 2022

Here’s what the judge had to say, from CNN:

A federal judge in New York on Wednesday denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against Prince Andrew filed by Virginia Giuffre, a woman who alleges she was sexually trafficked to the royal when she was underage.

“Ms. Giuffre’s complaint is neither ‘unintelligible’ nor ‘vague’ nor ‘ambiguous,'” Judge Lewis Kaplan wrote in the ruling. “It alleges discrete incidents of sexual abuse in particular circumstances at three identifiable locations. It identifies to whom it attributes that sexual abuse.”

Giuffre alleged in the lawsuit that the late financier Jeffrey Epstein trafficked her and forced her to have sex with his friends, including the Prince, and that Andrew was aware she was underage (17) in the US at the time. She alleges the Prince sexually abused her at Epstein’s private island in the US Virgin Islands, at his mansion in Manhattan and at his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell’s home in London.

Prince Andrew has denied the allegations and had moved to dismiss the suit. CNN has reached out to his attorneys for further comment.

The ruling sets up a dramatic series of legal proceedings for Queen Elizabeth II’s third child that could have major ramifications for Buckingham Palace. The long-running allegations against Andrew, 61, have already dramatically tarnished his public standing, and he stepped back from royal duties in late 2019.

Prince Andrew will face a civil sex case trial after a US judge dismissed a motion by Andrew’s legal team to have the lawsuit thrown out.

— Nadine White. (@Nadine_Writes) January 12, 2022

Breaking news from New York: Prince Andrew WILL face a civil sex case trial.
US judge – Lewis Kaplan – dismissed a motion by Prince Andrew's legal team to have the lawsuit thrown out in a legal technicality.
It now moves to the next stage#princeandrew

— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) January 12, 2022

Breaking : The Duke of York will face a civil trial in America over sexual abuse claims after a US judge dismissed Prince Andrew's attempt to have the lawsuit thrown out.

— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) January 12, 2022

A federal judge DENIES a motion by Prince Andrew to dismiss Virginia Giuffre's lawsuit.

Story, @LawCrimeNews https://t.co/PIYhPjYgDF pic.twitter.com/2I2kzFFkKp

— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) January 12, 2022

Prince Andrew loses in court again. Judge rejects his many efforts to get sexual abuse case thrown out on legal technicalities.

I heard the argument last week and it was clear the judge wasn’t having it.

A good day for justice as the case moves forward. https://t.co/mpUEBRSXNW

— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) January 12, 2022

The BBC provided Virginia Giuffre’s response to the judge’s ruling:

Judge Kaplan said his ruling did not determine the “truth or falsity” of Ms Giuffre’s complaint.

Ms Giuffre said she was “pleased” that Prince Andrew’s attempt to dismiss the case had been denied by the court and “that evidence will now be taken concerning her claims against him”.

A statement issued by her lawyer, David Boies, added: “She looks forward to a judicial determination of the merits of those claims.”

In court documents, Ms Giuffre said she was the victim of sex trafficking and abuse by late billionaire financier Epstein.

Part of her abuse involved being lent out to other powerful men, she alleges.