NEW YORK --
A U.S. decide dismissed the intercourse abuse lawsuit in opposition to Britain’s Prince Andrew on Tuesday, three weeks after attorneys for the American girl who filed it reached a deal calling for the prince to make a considerable donation to his accuser’s charity and declare he by no means meant to malign her character.
U.S. District Choose Lewis A. Kaplan signed courtroom papers dismissing the August lawsuit after attorneys on either side requested him to take action earlier within the day. The decide had given them till March 17 to finish the deal or he would set a trial date. The lawsuit can't be refiled.
The attorneys revealed three weeks in the past that that they had tentatively agreed to a settlement through which the prince would donate to Virginia Giuffre’s charity and make the declaration about her character.
Andrew strenuously denied Giuffre’s allegations after she sued him, accusing the British royal of sexually abusing her whereas she traveled with financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2001 when she was 17.
Giuffre, 38, reached the settlement with Andrew after the decide rejected the prince’s bid to win early dismissal of the lawsuit earlier this 12 months.
In a letter to the decide final month from Giuffre legal professional David Boies, a press release was included that stated, partially: “Prince Andrew intends to make a considerable donation to Ms. Giuffre’s charity in help of victims’ rights. Prince Andrew has by no means supposed to malign Ms. Giuffre’s character, and he accepts that she has suffered each as a longtime sufferer of abuse and because of unfair public assaults.”
In response to the assertion, Prince Andrew acknowledged that Epstein trafficked “numerous younger ladies” over a few years and stated the prince “regrets his affiliation with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms. Giuffre and different survivors in standing up for themselves and others.”
He additionally pledged to help the victims of intercourse trafficking as a part of demonstrating his remorse.
In a press release Tuesday, Boies stated the settlement was “an vital step, however it shouldn't be the final step in holding Jeffrey Epstein’s enablers and individuals to account.”
A lawyer for the prince declined remark.
The Related Press doesn't usually determine individuals who say they're victims of sexual assault until they select to return ahead publicly, as Giuffre has completed.
The settlement stopped the lawsuit earlier than the beginning of proof gathering, together with depositions that will have pressured Andrew to reply questions posed by attorneys.
Andrew — who had already stepped again from royal duties — was not too long ago stripped of his honorary army titles and roles and management of assorted charities, referred to as royal patronages. He can also not use the title “his royal highness” in official settings.
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