U.S. and Britain change diplomatic immunity rules in light of Harry Dunn death
In August, Harry Dunn, 19, was killed when police say his motorcycle was struck by a car driven by Anne Sacoolas.
Sacoolas, an American diplomat’s wife, admitted to driving on the wrong side of the road last August when she collided with Dunn. She claimed immunity and fled to the United States.
At the time of the incident, Sacoolas was living with her husband near the Royal Air Force Croughton, a station operated by the U.S. Air Force.
The announcement came a day after the issue was raised with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his trip to London.
In a written statement, Raab said: “First and foremost, the U.S. waiver of immunity from criminal jurisdiction is now expressly extended to the family members of U.S. staff at the Croughton Annex, thus ending the anomaly in the previous arrangements and permitting the criminal prosecution of the family members of those staff, should these tragic circumstances ever arise again.
“We have the deepest sympathy for Harry Dunn’s family. No family should have to experience what they have gone through and I recognise that these changes will not bring Harry back.”
When Pompeo met with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday, the prime minister “reiterated the need for justice to be done for Harry Dunn and his family. He said there was a strong feeling among the people of the UK that justice must be delivered,” said a Downing Street official.
