“Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz on Friday dismissed as “a complete and total lie” allegations of sexual assault levied by a woman who claims she was kept as a sex slave by billionaire investor Jeffrey Epstein.
“I was never anywhere near her, with her, under any circumstances,” Dershowitz said in a voicemail left with Laura Goldman, a HuffPost blogger and freelancer for ABC and Metro International.
Attorneys for the woman, who is identified in federal court documents as Jane Doe #3, charged that Epstein forced her “to have sexual relations with Dershowitz on numerous occasions while she was a minor, not only in Florida but also on private planes, in New York, New Mexico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.” The woman also made allegations against Britain’s Prince Andrew, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and French model scout Jean Luc Brunel.
According to Politico, Jane Doe #3 made her accusations in a Tuesday court filing in West Palm Beach, Florida, as a part of a larger lawsuit arising out of Epstein’s guilty plea to two state felony counts related to prostitution. Epstein served 13 months of a 18-month sentence and was released in 2009. The lawsuit contends that federal prosecutors improperly failed to consult with Epstein’s victims before signing off on the plea deal. Dershowitz was part of Epstein’s legal team, Politico noted.
The latest court filing, from lawyer Bradley Edwards and University of Utah law professor Paul Cassell, a former federal judge, seeks to add Jane Doe #3 and another woman to that lawsuit.
On Friday, in the voicemail message for Goldman, Dershowitz said that the charges against him were “totally made up.” Goldman forwarded the message to The Huffington Post.
Dershowitz called the woman a “serial liar” who he contended has a history of making up false charges against public figures, including former President Bill Clinton.
“It’s just a completely categorical lie made up to gain money for her, and I hope no one takes it in any way seriously,” he added.
Dershowitz, whose famous clients have included Claus von Bulow and O.J. Simpson, told Politico earlier this week that he was planning legal action against the attorneys who signed off on the filing.
“I’m planning to file disbarment charges against the two lawyers who signed this petition without even checking the manifests of airplanes or travel itineraries, et cetera,” he said to Politico. “I’m also challenging the young woman and the lawyers to level those charges against me outside of the courtroom, so that I can sue them for defamation. ... Finally, I’m challenging the woman to file criminal charges against me because the filing of false criminal charges is a crime.”
Cassell and Edwards responded in a statement sent to HuffPost: “We have been informed of Mr. Dershowitz’s threats based on the factual allegations we have made in our recent filing. We carefully investigate all of the allegations in our pleadings before presenting them. We have also tried to depose Mr. Dershowitz on these subjects, although he has avoided those deposition requests. Nevertheless, we would be pleased to consider any sworn testimony and documentary evidence Mr. Dershowitz would like to provide which he contends would refute any of our allegations.”
Hum…..would not those making the allegations have to provide the testimony and documentary evidence to support their allegations? It would be like someone accusing me of child molestation when I was a teenage babysitter back in the 1970’s and rather than providing documentary evidence and witnesses other than the accuser as to my guilt, forcing me to provide documentary evidence and witnesses that proves I didn’t do it.
As for Dershowitz not submitting to deposition requests, I don’t blame him. No matter what you think of him personally he is a brilliant attorney and knows full well how those depositions work and the tactics used by the plaintiff’s attorneys to get people to say things under heated and repeated questioning, not moderated by a judge, that can be twisted or taken out of context and used in court to make them look guilty, as he’s probably used those very same tactics himself.
Ohhh myyyyy. Dershowitz I was planning to give some benefit of the doubt to. I bought the divorced Prince and old horn dog Clinton right away. And Dershowitz came out with his vehement denials and disbarment threats.
But until your quotes, I didn’t know the details. She remembers many times with him, on board many airplanes?? And there may be video? And Dershowitz refuses to be deposed?? Another Cosby? I think people would be way more shocked that America’s Attorney didn’t think much of the laws protecting underaged girls than that clinton did the same. Or that a weenie Royal would partake and also be lousy in the sack.
However, we need to hang Bill’s involvement right around Hillary’s wrinkly neck.
[[ he said to Politico. “I’m also challenging the young woman and the lawyers to level those charges against me outside of the courtroom, so that I can sue them for defamation.]]
Yup- He’s guilty, but wants them to do something stupid so that he can take the focus off himself, and put onto a coutner charge- sounds pretty desperate to me-
[[ Finally, I’m challenging the woman to file criminal charges against me because the filing of false criminal charges is a crime.”]]
As big a crime as being a pedophile rapist?