U.S. prosecutors in New York and Washington would not confirm whether such a request, which is known officially as a mutual legal assistance application, had been made. Under mutual legal assistance treaties, the British government could compel the prince to submit to an interview with its own officials if he were to persist in refusing to grant one to the federal prosecutors in New York. Mr. Epstein had previously pleaded guilty to state sex crime charges in 2008 and had been sentenced to 13 months in prison at the time. Prince Andrew, 60, said in the BBC interview that he could not “shed light” for U.S. law enforcement officers on Mr. Epstein’s activities because the two had spent only a few days at a time together. He also said he would have to consult with his lawyers before testifying under oath about his relationship with Mr. Epstein.

Source: New York Times June 08, 2020 22:52 UTC