UK Says Diplomatic Immunity for US Suspect in Teen’s Death ‘No Longer Pertinent’

Wire Service
By Wire Service
October 13, 2019UK
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An American diplomat’s wife, who is the suspect in a fatal traffic collision that killed a British teenager, may no longer be protected by “Diplomatic Immunity,” the UK Foreign Secretary said on Sunday, Oct. 13.

Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a U.S. diplomat in Britain, allegedly struck and killed 19-year-old Harry Dunn in August. Sarcoolas was reported to have been driving on the wrong side of the road.

Harry Dunn
Harry Dunn. (Courtesy of justice4Harry/Facebook)

Sacoolas has initially been cooperating in the case, police have said, but she left the country despite assuring them she would remain in the UK.

“The U.S. have now informed us that they too consider that immunity is no longer pertinent,” UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a letter written to Dunn’s family.

“We have pressed strongly for a waiver of immunity so that justice can be done … Whilst the U.S. government has steadfastly declined to give that waiver that is not the end of the matter,” Raab said in the letter seen by CNN.

Mother of Harry Dunn, UK U.S. diplomat
Mother of Harry Dunn, Charlotte Charles speaks to the media after meeting with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Oct. 9, 2019 in London, England. (Peter Summers/Getty Images)

The Foreign Secretary continued that “the UK government position is that immunity, and therefore any question of waiver, is no longer relevant in Mrs. Sacoolas’ case because she has returned home,” he wrote.

This could provide an opportunity for UK authorities to commence legal action to extradite Sacoolas to the UK to face prosecution.

A Foreign Office spokesman told the P.A. news agency that the office would not comment further on the content of the letter.

Sacoolas left Britain under a claim of diplomatic immunity that has become a point of contention between the two countries.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged U.S. President Donald Trump to reconsider a decision to let her claim immunity.

Trump has said his administration would look into the matter.

“It was a terrible accident,” Trump told reporters earlier of the week. “We’re going to speak to her and we’re going to see the person driving the car, the wife of the diplomat. We’re going to speak to her and see what we can come up with so that there can be some healing.”

U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel, appearing on the BBC’s “The Andrew Marr Show,” twice avoided directly answering the question of whether she thought Sacoolas should be extradited to the UK.

“The Foreign Secretary has been working with his American counterparts and has been in touch with the U.S. administration on this. It very much seems that the lady in question wants to start cooperating with the discussions and the investigations, and we should support that,” Patel said.

Harry Dun, US diplomatics in London
A general view of flowers left in remembrance of Harry Dunn near Brackley, England, on October 7, 2019. (Peter Summers/Getty Images)

“We need to ensure that justice is done, but obviously that cooperation with this investigation takes place. That is absolutely right. We owe that to the family. Obviously, this is a terribly tragic case,” Patel said when asked if she thought Sacoolas should be extradited to the UK.

The development comes as Harry Dunn’s parents have appealed to Trump to intervene, and called on authorities to waive Sacoolas’ diplomatic immunity.

parents of Harry Dunn
Family spokesman Radd Seiger speaks to the media on behalf of the parents of Harry Dunn, Tim Dunn and Charlotte Charles, after meeting with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in London, England, on Oct. 9, 2019. (Peter Summers/Getty Images)

Sacoolas’ lawyer has reached out to Radd Seiger, the victim’s family spokesman, to discuss setting up an “initial” meeting between lawyers in the coming weeks, Seiger told CNN.

Seiger, also a lawyer, told CNN correspondent Anna Stewart that he is currently in the U.S. capital, where he is trying to meet U.S. politicians.

Separately, Sacoolas’s lawyer has said that Anne Sacoolas “would like to meet with Mr. Dunn’s parents so that she can express her deepest sympathies and apologies for this tragic accident,” P.A. Media has reported.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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