Prince Andrew Requests Jury Trial to Defend Himself Against Virginia Dufresne’s Claims

Prince Andrew has officially requested a jury trial to defend himself against Virginia Dufresne's allegations of s**ual abuse.

This move comes as a surprise to many, as experts had initially predicted that the Duke of York would seek a settlement after his mother, Queen Elizabeth, stripped him of his military titles.

Andrew Brettler, the Duke's legal counsel, submitted court documents containing 41 denials of claims made against him by Dufresne in a lawsuit filed in August last year.

Dufresne had accused the royal of having s** with her on three occasions when she was a teenager, but Andrew has vehemently denied all allegations against him.

The 12-page legal document represents the Duke's first formal response to the lawsuit.

It also includes 11 reasons why the case should be dismissed, including that Dufresne's claims are barred by her own wrongful conduct.

The document concludes with Prince Andrew demanding a trial by jury on all cases of action asserted in the complaint.

Despite the general public's disgust at the Duke's former friends Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, it is not clear why Prince Andrew asked to be tried before a jury instead of a judge.

However, according to Mitra Ahourian, a Beverly Hills entertainment attorney, there may be a legal strategy behind it.

A jury trial could limit the evidence that a jury sees, whereas a judge sees all the evidence, whether it ends up being excluded or not.

The defense could control what the jury sees and perhaps play on the goodwill Prince Andrew may have established over the years, with a certain demographic they hope to get on the jury through the selection process.

Niema Rahami, a former assistant U.S. attorney and president of the West Coast Trial Lawyers, said a jury trial is strategically advantageous for Prince Andrew because it requires Dufresne to convince six out of six jurors that she was s**ually abused.

Those are better numbers than convincing one judge on a bench trial.

A settlement is unlikely because Dufresne has been vocal about wanting to tell her story.

Even if the terms of the settlement are confidential and do not contain any admission of liability, the public will perceive a settlement as proof that the prince is an abuser, especially after he denied having any s**ual conduct with Dufresne.

The only way Prince Andrew can restore his tarnished reputation is to go to trial and win.

The Duke's decision to face Dufresne in court comes after his mother stripped him of his military titles, an unprecedented move that highlights the severity of the situation.

The royal family has been under intense scrutiny since Epstein's arrest and subsequent death in 2019, with many questioning their association with the convicted s** offender.

Prince Andrew's legal battle is far from over, and the outcome of the trial could have significant implications for both the Duke and the royal family.

For now, all eyes are on the upcoming trial, which will undoubtedly be closely watched by the public and the media alike.