Testify under oath about Jeffrey Epstein abuse
scandal, Prince Andrew urged
Duke of York must answer to claims in new documents
while ‘facing all the trappings of the law’, says victims’ lawyer
Shanti Das
Sat 6 Jan
2024 19.05 GMT
Prince
Andrew must testify under oath about his role in the Jeffrey Epstein abuse
scandal so that he faces the threat of prison if he lies, a lawyer for several
of Epstein’s victims has said.
Amid
growing calls for a police investigation into allegations of sexual assault
against the royal, Spencer Kuvin, a Florida-based attorney, told the Observer
that the Duke of York “needs to answer for what is now coming out” and should
give his account with “all the trappings of the law” so that he is legally
obliged to tell the truth.
He said: “I
know Andrew has given an interview to the public and the media. It was a
disastrous interview that went horribly for him. But he needs to answer for
what is now coming out and … his role in all of this.
He needs to
do it, not in a TV press interview, but under oath, under penalty of perjury,
with all the trappings of the law whether it be in London or the US. He needs
to set the record straight.”
The call
comes after Andrew was mentioned repeatedly in documents made public by a US
court. They relate to a civil case brought in 2015 by Virginia Giuffre, who
says she was used as a “sex slave” by Epstein and his former girlfriend,
Ghislaine Maxwell. Giuffre sued Maxwell over statements calling her a liar.
Documents
from the long-settled case include claims that Andrew would stay for weeks at a
time at the Palm Beach mansion owned by Epstein, who died in 2019 while
awaiting trial for trafficking charges.
Juan
Alessi, who worked as a housekeeper for Epstein from 1990 to 2002, also
testified that Andrew would receive daily massages while staying with the
financier, the court files show. The testimony of Johanna Sjoberg, who claims
to have been abused by Epstein, which was also released, includes a resurfaced
allegation that the prince “put his hand on my breast” at Epstein’s New York
apartment in 2001.
Andrew
previously settled a case with Giuffre over claims he sexually assaulted her on
three occasions when she was 17. The prince, who stepped back as a working
royal in 2019, has consistently denied all claims of wrongdoing.
The newest
batch of files raises fresh questions about the prince’s conduct and friendship
with Epstein, which dates back to 1999. They also point to discrepancies
between Andrew’s account and that of Maxwell, who the prince previously said
introduced him to Epstein. In her testimony, the British socialite claims she
“never introduced” the pair.Kuvin, who said he currently represents four
Epstein victims, said it was now time for the prince to give his account, under
oath, in order to set the record straight. “Alternatively he needs to disappear
from the public eye out of sheer embarrassment for what’s come out,” Kuvin
said.
The
Metropolitan Police have been urged to investigate the resurfaced sexual
assault claims against Andrew, with the anti-monarchy group Republic reporting
him to the force last week. A Met spokesperson said the force had not opened an
investigation but would review the situation “should new and relevant
information” come to light. Buckingham Palace is yet to comment.
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário