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Somewhat related, and infuriating, news that this reminded me of: US Diplomat's wife flees the UK and hides behind diplomatic immunity after killing 19 year ol

Somewhat related, and infuriating, news that this reminded me of: US Diplomat's wife flees the UK and hides behind diplomatic immunity after killing 19 year old in a head on collision: https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/ddm5ia/us_diplomats_wife_flees_the_uk_and_hides_behind/ https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/ddm5ia/us_diplom...

dazc 7y ago
I guess the word 'allegedly' is appropriate since she has, thus far, not been proven guilty of anything?
- Lio 7y ago
  > The US Embassy confirmed the incident involved "a vehicle driven by the spouse of a US diplomat assigned to the United Kingdom" and that the family has left the UK. No one is denying she did it. They had her in custody. She was released on the previso that she would not leave the country. Turns out that the sort of person that flees the scene of an accident is also the sort of person that doesn't stick around for the full investigation.
  - dazc 7y ago
    As someone who was once accused of killing a dog as a result of speeding/drink driving, I'm hoping I never have to appear in your court? I was guilty as hell until it turned out I hadn't been drinking, wasn't speeding and the dog suffered only a few bruises and a bit of embarrassment for his owner who had a tendency to wildly exaggerate. The owner was warned not to let her dog run off the lead near to traffic in future.
    - Lio 7y ago
      Not sure how your personal story is relavant here. Are you saying you think we'll later find out that no one was killed or that the US Embassy is wrong in admitting that a diplomat's wife was invloved in a hit and run collision? Both of these things appear to be facts beyond dispute. It is a crime in the UK to leave the scene of a traffic collision even if the collision was not your fault. Legally you must wait for the police and you must provide care to others involved including calling the emergency services.
      - dazc 7y ago
        'Not sure how your personal story is relevant here.' Just pointing out that there is a reason why people are presumed innocent until proven guilty? Adding 'allegedly' doesn't detract from what your saying.
        mft_ 7y ago
        ...and her innocence would have been proven, were it the case, in a court of law, had she not fled the country. Fleeing from the authorities does, I think, give us a reason to suspect she might be guilty.
        dazc 7y ago
        Now let's imagine a scenario in the near future where the reason for not returning is that she can no longer receive a fair trial?
  - beerandt 7y ago
    This is how diplomacy loosely works: visiting diplomats accused of a serious crime have the option of facing the charges locally, facing the charges under their home jurisdiction, or leaving the country either voluntarily or by being expelled. The one exception to this is if the visiting country waves diplomatic immunity, which generally only happens if someone was doing something outside of the nature of normal activities of living and working there. I know it might not seem fair, but sometimes the smooth workings of international diplomacy is more important than justice for an individual crime. (The expulsion option prevents diplomats from using this as a loophole to repeatedly commit crimes)
Lio 7y ago
Yep like something out of Succession she was driving on the wrong side of the road, left the kid where he was to die and then fled the country with the US Embassy's help. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/harry-dunn-death-us-diplomats-wife-urged-to-return-to-uk-by-mother-of-teenager-killed-in-crash-a4255121.html https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/harry-dunn-death-us-di... Harry Dunn's mother will be flying to the US to try to appeal for justice for him.
- Scapeghost 7y ago
  If the murderer doesn't get some kind of punishment, this is tyranny through and through. They can literally kill civilians in proverbial broad daylight and just get a free flight home at taxpayer expense?

dazc 7y ago

I guess the word 'allegedly' is appropriate since she has, thus far, not been proven guilty of anything?

Lio 7y ago
> The US Embassy confirmed the incident involved "a vehicle driven by the spouse of a US diplomat assigned to the United Kingdom" and that the family has left the UK. No one is denying she did it. They had her in custody. She was released on the previso that she would not leave the country. Turns out that the sort of person that flees the scene of an accident is also the sort of person that doesn't stick around for the full investigation.
- dazc 7y ago
  As someone who was once accused of killing a dog as a result of speeding/drink driving, I'm hoping I never have to appear in your court? I was guilty as hell until it turned out I hadn't been drinking, wasn't speeding and the dog suffered only a few bruises and a bit of embarrassment for his owner who had a tendency to wildly exaggerate. The owner was warned not to let her dog run off the lead near to traffic in future.
  - Lio 7y ago
    Not sure how your personal story is relavant here. Are you saying you think we'll later find out that no one was killed or that the US Embassy is wrong in admitting that a diplomat's wife was invloved in a hit and run collision? Both of these things appear to be facts beyond dispute. It is a crime in the UK to leave the scene of a traffic collision even if the collision was not your fault. Legally you must wait for the police and you must provide care to others involved including calling the emergency services.
    - dazc 7y ago
      'Not sure how your personal story is relevant here.' Just pointing out that there is a reason why people are presumed innocent until proven guilty? Adding 'allegedly' doesn't detract from what your saying.
      - mft_ 7y ago
        ...and her innocence would have been proven, were it the case, in a court of law, had she not fled the country. Fleeing from the authorities does, I think, give us a reason to suspect she might be guilty.
        dazc 7y ago
        Now let's imagine a scenario in the near future where the reason for not returning is that she can no longer receive a fair trial?
- beerandt 7y ago
  This is how diplomacy loosely works: visiting diplomats accused of a serious crime have the option of facing the charges locally, facing the charges under their home jurisdiction, or leaving the country either voluntarily or by being expelled. The one exception to this is if the visiting country waves diplomatic immunity, which generally only happens if someone was doing something outside of the nature of normal activities of living and working there. I know it might not seem fair, but sometimes the smooth workings of international diplomacy is more important than justice for an individual crime. (The expulsion option prevents diplomats from using this as a loophole to repeatedly commit crimes)

Lio 7y ago

Yep like something out of Succession she was driving on the wrong side of the road, left the kid where he was to die and then fled the country with the US Embassy's help. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/harry-dunn-death-us-diplomats-wife-urged-to-return-to-uk-by-mother-of-teenager-killed-in-crash-a4255121.html https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/harry-dunn-death-us-di... Harry Dunn's mother will be flying to the US to try to appeal for justice for him.

Scapeghost 7y ago
If the murderer doesn't get some kind of punishment, this is tyranny through and through. They can literally kill civilians in proverbial broad daylight and just get a free flight home at taxpayer expense?