Prosecutors Can Seek ‘Virtual Trial’ of US Diplomat’s Wife Accused of Killing a British Teenager, UK Says

Wire Service
By Wire Service
June 12, 2021UK
share
Prosecutors Can Seek ‘Virtual Trial’ of US Diplomat’s Wife Accused of Killing a British Teenager, UK Says
Harry Dunn. (Courtesy of justice4Harry/Facebook)

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has said the path is now clear for a virtual trial of Anne Sacoolas, the U.S. woman accused of killing 19-year-old Harry Dunn in August 2019 while she was driving on the wrong side of the road in England.

Sacoolas claimed diplomatic immunity and fled to the United States after the deadly collision outside RAF Croughton, a U.S. military base in England where her husband worked as a U.S. diplomat.

Britain’s attempt to extradite Sacoolas to face charges of causing death by dangerous driving was declined by U.S. authorities, and the incident has sparked ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

In an interview with the BBC on Saturday, Raab said “the U.S. has not agreed to the extradition, but the path is clear for the legal authorities in the UK to approach Anne Sacoolas’s lawyers—without any problem from the U.S. government—to see whether some kind of virtual trial or process could allow some accountability and some solace and some justice for the Dunn family.” He said it is for the UK’s legal authorities “to deal with the Sacoolas lawyers and also the justice system on the U.S. side.”

BRITAIN-USA-CRASH
Harry Dunn’s mother Charlotte Charles poses in front of a banner outside the Buckingham Palace, London, on Dec. 3, 2019. (Dylan Martinez/Reuters)

Sacoolas does not dispute that she was negligent and admits driving on the wrong side of the road at the time of the crash. Despite this, her personal attorney Amy Jeffress in February 2021 said her client must remain in the United States and suggested she could carry out some form of community service in America.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday that U.S. President Joe Biden expressed a “great deal of sympathy” over the case.

In a statement to CNN, a Downing Street spokesperson said the “tragic” issue was raised with Biden and said Johnson “reiterated” that the UK “wants to see justice for the family.”

In a statement Dunn’s mother Charlotte Charles said on Thursday that they are “incredibly grateful” that the case is being taken “so seriously as to be raised on the eve of the G-7 meeting.”

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

Previously the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had said Sacoolas must return to the UK for a criminal trial to take place. In a virtual trial, Sacoolas would be tried by a British court without ever having to leave the United States. A transatlantic court proceeding where the judge hears a criminal prosecution in England, while the defendant remains in the United States, would be unprecedented in UK law.

Seiger told CNN Saturday, “Harry’s parents welcome the development that the CPS have now been cleared to engage with Mrs. Sacoolas’ lawyers to determine next steps in the criminal case. It is a huge development, and we are grateful to the politicians for making this possible. This campaign has never been about vengeance or retribution, but about accountability for the loss of their totally innocent son. That is what any of us would want and that is what must now be delivered.”

Raab’s announcement comes just weeks before Anne Sacoolas is due to give face-face testimony in front of Harry Dunn’s parents as part of a separate civil claim brought against her at the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia.

CNN has reached out to Sacoolas’ legal team for comment.

The CNN Wire contributed to this report

ntd newsletter icon
Sign up for NTD Daily
What you need to know, summarized in one email.
Stay informed with accurate news you can trust.
By registering for the newsletter, you agree to the Privacy Policy.
Comments