Diplomatic Immunity

Mrs Sacoolas admitted liability at the scene. The US military forces then removed her and her family from the UK almost immediately. Her children never reappeared at their school - just vanished. I do not think the US government have allowed her to make any statement, or to consider returning to the UK - I don't think she has any freedom whatsoever in this matter. I really doubt she thinks 'she has got away with it'. She will have to live with this for ever and it is not up to anyone else assume what her feelings are. She is not a free agent. The whole event is a huge tragedy.

Nevertheless, this WAS an accident, a tragic accident of course but the fact is it was an accident.

Mrs. S didn’t set out to deliberately run someone over did she? It was a momentary lack of concentration, something we are all guilty of.
We might think we are concentrating hard on the road when we are driving and probably most of the time we are but occasionally our minds will wander, thinking about what we need to buy in the supermarket for instance.

It’s one of those ‘there but for the grace of God’ moments which will live with her for the rest of her life.

Would you be content to leave it at that if it was one of your family? A grandchild perhaps?

JenniferEccles

Nevertheless, this WAS an accident, a tragic accident of course but the fact is it was an accident.

Mrs. S didn’t set out to deliberately run someone over did she? It was a momentary lack of concentration, something we are all guilty of.
We might think we are concentrating hard on the road when we are driving and probably most of the time we are but occasionally our minds will wander, thinking about what we need to buy in the supermarket for instance.

It’s one of those ‘there but for the grace of God’ moments which will live with her for the rest of her life.

It doesn’t matter it was an accident - she is criminally responsible for killing a young man. Drivers are punished regularly by the CJS for accidents because they are held responsible. If she’d done it deliberately which she didn’t she would have been facing murder. In terms of the law people are punished for causing accidents whether deliberate or not. The deliberate/accidental issue is reflected in the charge and the punishment. And if we had a grace of god moment that does not mean we are not criminally responsible for our actions.
What part of that don’t you understand?
And we have no idea at all about how bad she feels do we ? Not bad enough to face justice for sure - she has agency .

A tragic accident but one that caused the death of a young man. Accidents like that one usually have legal consequences. This one should be no exception.
I pulled out onto the wrong side of a road when driving in the USA. My husband shouted very loudly,I realised and corrected my mistake. Fortunately, we were on a quiet country road with no other traffic. Had my mistake caused an accident, even a minor one that would have been my responsibility. A momentary lapse of focus would be no excuse. Mrs S lived in the UK. I had only arrived in the US the previous day. I am not excusing my mistake, there is no excuse.