UK charges US diplomat’s wife over teen’s death in crash

"
An American diplomat's wife who left the U.K. after being involved in a road accident that killed a British teenager has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, British prosecutors said Friday.

The Crown Prosecution Service said it had begun extradition proceedings against Anne Sacoolas.

The decision to charge Sacoolas, who has claimed diplomatic immunity, has caused tensions between the U.K. and the United States. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab welcomed the move but the State Department called it unhelpful......

...
Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, families of diplomats are granted immunity from arrest or detention. British prosecutors maintain that immunity does not apply to dependants of consular officials based outside of London.

But the U.S. State Department said Friday that "at the time the accident occurred, and for the duration of her stay in the U.K., the driver in this case had status that conferred diplomatic immunities."

In its statement, the State Department expressed "deepest sympathies" over Dunn's death but said the decision to charge Sacoolas was not "a helpful development."

"We are disappointed by today's announcement and fear that it will not bring a resolution closer," it said."
https://kstp.com/national/uk-charge...uos-death-in-crash-december-20-2019-/5585951/

Hmmmmm. We know the problems or "diplomatic immunity" like at the UN and those dignitaries and complaints about New Yorkers and their abuse like parking and driving. And there have been a few cases of crimes as I seem to recall. Yes the purpose is so the host country cannot use our law enforcement to harass or threaten them. But this is a felony involving a persons life.

Should the US government fight her extradition based on a diplomatic immunity?
Should they not and weaken diplomatic immunity and set precedent perhaps putting our diplomats in not so friendly countries in jeopardy?

Personally I think she should voluntarily go but I'm not in her shoes.

And of course a poor guy lost his life and his family suffers where is the justice?

 

Tough call. In this case I am all in favor of this woman facing the music back in England.

 

Women should not be allowed to drive in a nation that drives on the wrong side of the road.

This sounds like some kind of man slaughter charge that in the US is a serious felony.

But being the family of a US ambassador should yield immunity. So a bit confusing here to me.

 

Regardless of who she is........she is accountable for her behavior. It has nothing to do with what side of the road a country drives on. too many believe they should be an exception to the laws / rules and and that is just arrogance.

 

Diplomatic immunity can be waived by the country the "diplomat" is from, but in this case, even though there is no question that this woman did what she is accused of, the US is not waiving it. But then, if we won't even hold our own president accountable for his actions, why would we bother with some lady?

 

Weird cases she is on US soil..

 

a very good point indeed. Well stated.

 

I remember when I was on business in Georgia, I screwed up got caught. a month later I flew back to Georgia to court..

I explained my situation to the judge and charged me $500 bucks.


Only had $450 in my wallet, she reduced it to $409 bucks..

 

Sounds like you are a very responsible person..........and the judge would have seen that too.

 

Thank you, I knew I screwed up got caught by the cops, but had to do the right thing.. and it was weird she couldn't come out right and say it

 

If the US revokes her immunity rights then she could face the proceedings in the UK, the only thing she can do now is to wait for the authority's decision.

 

This is a do the right thing issue.
It sadly becomes an international issue because of the obfuscation of diplomatic immunity rules.
The lady has caused it to be an American issue, because there is now pressure on the American government to waive any sense that she enjoys diplomatic immunity.
The lady has put the ball in the government's court.
I know she is fearful, but I would advise the lady to return to the UK and allow her case to go through proper channels. It isn't as if she would be asked state secrets or anything, only about the specifics of the incident where the poor lad was killed.

 

Imagine that a diplomat from the British embassy in the US decided that justice needed to be done, and deliberately ran over and killed the lady then claimed diplomatic immunity. What would be the reaction from the US State Department be?

 

What?

So a British guy is going to drive around and hunt a lady and run her over while walking her dog???


Are you suggesting the British ambassadors are physcopaths ?

 

You never know what someone may be thinking, when they know that are above the law and have revenge on their mind.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...cret-crimes-of-londons-diplomats-5329824.html
https://nypost.com/2017/10/11/why-dirty-diplomats-can-literally-get-away-with-murder/

 

Justice?

Justice is a word in the dictionary, nothing more. The Brits hold Julian Assange in prison for publishing the truth.

 

I don't think diplomatic immunity is relevant in the case of Julian Assange.
Mind you they're out to get Assange any way possible. There is supposed to be a mildly amusing phrase 'just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you'.
Assange is to say the least a very awkward person, but he has plenty to be paranoid about as it were.

 

strange how this lady's immunity is such a factor...........when she KILLED a youth in another nation. No one seems concerned about the family that lost their child. What a bout the hole his loss has created in that family.......because of her negligence?? If she was a truly mature and responsible person......shew should go back and deal with it ........rather than hiding behind immunity and other legal loopholes.

Do a reversal.......If a Brit had killed a youth in the US the way she did......... and the killer used immunity as a way to escape justice........... should that be ok........

One can appreciate that she is in self preservation mode...........but the reality of what she did ........has to be dealt with.

 

That is a very interesting question. The deciding factor could be the publicity and media coverage. I think the fact that W. Bush refused to let the FBI question Bin Laden relatives who were in the US at the time of 9/11 and quickly got them on a plane and out of the country in the midst of an air travel ban provides a clue as to how the scenario you describe would play out. That is not to say England has the same "influence" as the Saudis, but in the grand scheme of things those viewed as little people are expendable.

 

I would have to know he details on the accident to make a proper judgment. There are many things to consider such as comparative negligence, gross negligence, etc.

 

Quite right and furthermore it is extremely unlikely that she would receive a custodial sentence in the UK.

 

No body is above the law, that saying should be enforced then starting with this diplomat. It was her choice to drive, I don't know if it was a hit and run or if she actually called for help but a man's life was lost. Some form of justice needs to be done here.

 

The UK will ask for her extradition. Given that we give the US almost anyone they ask for public opinion will not be amused if you say No.

She took someone's life in what appears to be an accident but that will be for the court to decide. The young man's family is distraught. The idea that someone can just kill someone and get away with it because they are part of the elite also does not go down well. There does not seem to be any question that there could be any secretive something else going on which would justify allowing her away with this killing. Probably the US hoped it would not be noticed but this young man's parents appear to be of the type that will try anything to see justice done for the loss of their son's adult life.

The US ought to have encouraged her to give herself in. I read she could get a jail sentence. She should still hand herself in. The US can of course support her through whatever happens as she is one of the elite and should not have to pay for her mistakes like ordinary people.

His parents deserve some knowledge that it is not true that their son due to his being non elite was deemed to be acceptable for the elite to kill.

 

All roads always lead to the person in charge. If we allow that person, at the head of his entire branch of government, to just do whatever he wants without consequence, then at best we are perpetuating a system of rich and elite people getting away with things, and at worst, we are continuing a pattern of American exemptionalism.