With the issue Prince Andrew faces today about the United States prosecutors, a former government prosecutor says it will be a great mistake for him to visit the American country. Although the foreign investigators are still trying their best to have a chance to question him to give some evidence about the criminal sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, they cannot force him to cooperate.
Rob Feitel reveals it will be a huge error of "astounding proportion" if ever Prince Andrew decides to go to the U.S. It will also be a mistake for him if he ever decides to meet the U.S. law enforcement authorities and give his statement, Mirror Online noted.
Recently, the Duke of York is once again in the headlines after the Department of Justice filed a legal request to the United Kingdom that will allow the royal to be interviewed by the American prosecutors. According to former federal prosecutor David Weinstein, the mutual legal assistance request is the "last resort."
Even if Britain's Home Office approves the request, the 60-year-old duke still has the right not to comply as he can invoke his rights against self-incrimination. However, if he ever decides to visit the U.S., the lawyers of Jeffrey Epstein's victims can serve him legal papers.
Prince Andrew's legal team shut down the claims that their client never cooperated with the U.S. prosecutors. However, New York prosecutor Geoffrey Berman, who heads the inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein, said he once again "falsely portray himself to the public" as someone eager and willing to help with the investigation.
The victims' lawyers reveal they have approached the father-of-two for a number of times on behalf of his alleged abused victim, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, but to no avail. Jeffrey Epstein's alleged former "teen sex slave" accused the prince of sleeping with her on three occasions, including the one when she was only 17. He vehemently denied the allegation.
In a statement via CNN, Prince Andrew's lawyers said that the pursuit of the mutual legal assistance application was disappointing. They claimed that the DoJ told them that their client was not and would never be the "target" of their criminal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
Also, they insisted that Prince Andrew offered his assistance as a witness to the DoJ three times. He also repeatedly showed his willingness to provide a witness statement.
The lawyers criticized the DoJ's move, saying it was a breach of confidentiality, accusing the department of "seeking publicity instead of accepting the assistance offered for claiming Prince Andrew was not cooperative. However, Berman stressed that Andrew repeatedly declined their request to schedule an interview and even said he would not come in to talk.
