Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

US diplomat's wife flees home claiming diplomatic immunity after fatal collision

«13456

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 9,761 ✭✭✭Effects


    killing a 19 year old cyclist.

    Motorcyclist.

    But yeah. Total scumbags. Face up to what you've done. Doubtful you'd even spend time in prison, but take responsibility.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,214 ✭✭✭✭lawred2


    So does she face some sort of charges in the US?

    Or can you go about killing people and claiming diplomatic immunity with zero consequence?


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,969 ✭✭✭✭alchemist33


    Effects wrote: »
    Motorcyclist.

    Thanks, edited now


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 112 ✭✭NotToScale


    It's the Trump Whitehouse so think about what a sensible government, with ethics and morals would do. Then just assume they'll do the complete opposite.

    RIP Harry Dunn and my sincere condolences to his family and friends. It's an awful thing to have happened and it looks like it was a tragic accident, but whatever the circumstances it's compounded by cowardly hiding behind diplomatic protocol.

    It just comes across as extreme arrogance by the US Government. It's not as if the UK is incapable of reasonably, fairly and proportionately investigating a fatal road accident and providing extremely high standards of due process.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,007 ✭✭✭Augme


    Really feel for the family here. I can only imagine how angry and frustrating this must be. Such a cowardly act by the wife the the US. No surprises really though.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,653 ✭✭✭✭Plumbthedepths


    NotToScale wrote: »
    It's the Trump Whitehouse so think about what a sensible government, with ethics and morals would do. Then just assume they'll do the complete opposite.

    RIP Harry Dunn and my sincere condolences to his family and friends. It's an awful thing to have happened, whatever the circumstances and it's compounded by cowardly hiding behind diplomatic protocol.

    Trump is nothing got to do with it. The woman in question invoked immunity in a cowardly act of avoiding the consequences of her actions. Diplomatic immunity as it stands needs to be re-examined it was not intended to allow those that invoke it to behave illegally.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 112 ✭✭NotToScale


    Trump is nothing got to do with it. The woman in question invoked immunity in a cowardly act of avoiding the consequences of her actions. Diplomatic immunity as it stands needs to be re-examined it was not intended to allow those that invoke it to behave illegally.

    "Police applied for a waiver of the immunity to pursue the case, but their request was rejected."

    That's a decision made by the Ambassador in London or the State Department. So effectively, the Trump administration.

    I mean can you imagine Ireland or even the UK insisting on that if a spouse of a diplomat were to have had a similar accident in NY or DC?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,653 ✭✭✭✭Plumbthedepths


    NotToScale wrote: »
    "Police applied for a waiver of the immunity to pursue the case, but their request was rejected."

    That's a decision made by the Ambassador in London or the State Department. So effectively, the Trump administration.

    I mean can you imagine Ireland or even the UK insisting on that if a spouse of a diplomat were to have had a similar accident in NY or DC?
    The state department is behaving in the same manner as other government would deal with a request, regardless who the office holder is.
    Can you provide a link to any government which removed diplomatic immunity status from any of its citizens. I certainly can't. Similar incidents happened in 93 and 97 in Russia , US didn't remove immunity from there citizens then either and I'm positive Trump wasn't president then.


  • Registered Users, Subscribers Posts: 47,247 ✭✭✭✭Zaph


    Ridiculous that diplomatic immunity can cover families of diplomats as well. Presumably it exists as there may be things in a diplomat's line of work that flirt with the boundaries of legality, but their families wouldn't be involved in anything like that. It's like saying that parliamentary privilege extends to families of TDs, MPs, etc., so they can say whatever they like about whoever they like with no consequences.


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,802 ✭✭✭✭suicide_circus


    DI might cover accidents but probably not premeditated murder?


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 81,129 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Diplomatic immunity has always had problems but usually severe violations of local law (eg. Attempted rape by Malaysian diplomat in 2014) get processed.

    Political situation here being Trump not fawning in love with the UK - but he does have supporters there, and supporters in the US largely claim to be adamantly pro life (while getting on Facebook to rave about how we need bullets and bayonets at the border)

    Could go either way; without public outrage Trump will sit on it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 352 ✭✭LegallyAbroad


    Trump is nothing got to do with it. The woman in question invoked immunity in a cowardly act of avoiding the consequences of her actions. Diplomatic immunity as it stands needs to be re-examined it was not intended to allow those that invoke it to behave illegally.

    Incorrect. The immunity belongs to the State, not the diplomat (or dependents). Therefore, the State may waive it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 352 ✭✭LegallyAbroad


    Zaph wrote: »
    Ridiculous that diplomatic immunity can cover families of diplomats as well. Presumably it exists as there may be things in a diplomat's line of work that flirt with the boundaries of legality, but their families wouldn't be involved in anything like that. It's like saying that parliamentary privilege extends to families of TDs, MPs, etc., so they can say whatever they like about whoever they like with no consequences.

    It exists to allow Diplomats represent the interests of their State, without fear of reprisal from the host nation. This is why it covers their families.

    It's not much use to the Diplomat if their Spouse or Children can be locked up.


  • Registered Users Posts: 352 ✭✭LegallyAbroad


    The state department is behaving in the same manner as other government would deal with a request, regardless who the office holder is.
    Can you provide a link to any government which removed diplomatic immunity status from any of its citizens. I certainly can't. Similar incidents happened in 93 and 97 in Russia , US didn't remove immunity from there citizens then either and I'm positive Trump wasn't president then.

    http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9701/12/georgia.diplomat/index.html


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,653 ✭✭✭✭Plumbthedepths


    Incorrect. The immunity belongs to the State, not the diplomat (or dependents). Therefore, the State may waive it.

    How can I be incorrect when I never said what you have stated?.
    The diplomats wife invoked immunity as under the treaty she is entitled to do. The US will not waive it, they haven't done so in the past in similar circumstances.


  • Registered Users Posts: 352 ✭✭LegallyAbroad


    DI might cover accidents but probably not premeditated murder?

    Depending on the Diplomat and their position, it can cover everything.


  • Registered Users Posts: 352 ✭✭LegallyAbroad


    How can I be incorrect when I never said what you have stated?.
    The diplomats wife invoked immunity as under the treaty she is entitled to do. The US will not waive it, they haven't done so in the past in similar circumstances.

    You said Trump had nothing to do with it. This is not true as it a State Department decision on whether to waive the immunity or not.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,473 ✭✭✭✭Varik


    Individuals have no authority to waive their own immunity, the country needs to allow it. There was a big case not too long ago where the person tried to waive it and their country refused.


  • Registered Users Posts: 40,291 ✭✭✭✭Gatling


    She should be at least identified along with her husband


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,653 ✭✭✭✭Plumbthedepths


    You said Trump had nothing to do with it. This is not true as it a State Department decision on whether to waive the immunity or not.

    At least quote the comment you are disagreeing with in the interests of clarity. As an aside the person I made my comment to is suggesting it's only Trump that would allow this to happen. There was similar instances in the 90's and the sitting Presidents at the time did nothing either.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 352 ✭✭LegallyAbroad


    Varik wrote: »
    Individuals have no authority to waive their own immunity, the country needs to allow it.

    To be pedantic, it's not their immunity in the first place...


  • Registered Users Posts: 352 ✭✭LegallyAbroad


    At least quote the comment you are disagreeing with in the interests of clarity.
    Trump is nothing got to do with it. The woman in question invoked immunity in a cowardly act of avoiding the consequences of her actions. Diplomatic immunity as it stands needs to be re-examined it was not intended to allow those that invoke it to behave illegally.

    There ya go.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,653 ✭✭✭✭Plumbthedepths


    There ya go.

    Easy , wasn't it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    Zaph wrote: »
    Ridiculous that diplomatic immunity can cover families of diplomats as well. Presumably it exists as there may be things in a diplomat's line of work that flirt with the boundaries of legality, .

    Even for diplomats it should only be for very specific things and circumstances. ie, theres no sensitive parts of their work where a diplomat would need to be immune from killing someone while driving drunk (or with no drink for that matter)


  • Registered Users Posts: 352 ✭✭LegallyAbroad


    Easy , wasn't it.

    I also quoted your incorrect comment in my first reply...:confused:


  • Registered Users Posts: 352 ✭✭LegallyAbroad


    Even for diplomats it should only be for very specific things and circumstances. ie, theres no sensitive parts of their work where a diplomat would need to be immune from killing someone while driving drunk (or with no drink for that matter)

    Well, if they weren't immune, what would stop a vindictive host country framing them?


  • Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    Well, if they weren't immune, what would stop a vindictive host country framing them?

    Whats to stop a vindictive host country from murdering them?

    If they cant abide by the laws then they shouldn't be allowed all the freedoms. If you can just kill someone while driving and just wash your hands of it then no driving for you, you have to have a driver who is accountable.


  • Site Banned Posts: 106 ✭✭Enough is Enough!


    What an evil bitch. I hope karma gets her.


  • Registered Users Posts: 352 ✭✭LegallyAbroad


    Whats to stop a vindictive host country from murdering them?

    If they cant abide by the laws then they shouldn't be allowed all the freedoms. If you can just kill someone while driving and just wash your hands of it then no driving for you, you have to have a driver who is accountable.

    Well, it's a bit harder to explain a dead Diplomat.

    But just because we can't come up with rules to 100% protect diplomats, why would that mean we should weaken the protections they currently have?


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 39,466 ✭✭✭✭Boggles


    So Lethal Weapon was right, I thought it was a myth.

    IncompleteCreativeAegeancat-size_restricted.gif


Advertisement