what does diplomatic immunity mean for Americans?

Ok I know what diplomatic immunity is and I know it's given to foreign ambassadors and people like that but, I just got done watching an episode of Law & Order SVU and this girl was convicted of a crime and her father came to her rescue and it was the same father who played on the wonder years.

Basicly the storyline went she couldnt be arrested because she had immunity too and this girl suppose to be american, since this show is suppose to be based on real life but not actual events, that means americans can have immunity too???

What does that mean for americans exactly? Are they exempt from the laws as well ?

What luxury's come with it ?

Somebody please clarify this for me !

The Dark Side

Presumably he was a diplomat and that means his family get diplomatic immunity too. His daughter wouldn't have been protected from the law otherwise.

Diplomatic immunity "oils the wheels" of international relations and helps keep them going even when the countries concerned are in conflict. Americans apart from diplomats and their families are most certainly not exempt from the law in other countries. American visitors ignorant of the fact that firearms are almost totally illegal in the UK frequently have guns confiscated from them at Heathrow Airport on the grounds that they are unlicensed and the UK would not grant a licence as the people concerned have no good reason in UK law to possess a gun.

It has its downsides. Most diplomats here in London, especially those from third world countries, use it as an excuse to park their cars anywhere they like on London's extremely crowded streets and not pay the parking fines that result.

David above has referred to the congestion charge - this is an Â£8 per day charge on anyone driving a car in the very centre of London and was imposed a) to try and reduce the level of traffic (there really is no need to drive in central London unless you're carrying something heavy or are disabled, as the public transport is extremely good, and the level of traffic congestion makes it a frustrating stop-go business anyway) and b) to reduce pollution and make people "think green".

The US Embassy has consistently refused to pay it on the grounds that it is a tax and diplomatic immunity includes immunity from taxes, whilst the Mayor of London says it is a service charge and not a tax. You can always choose not to pay it by using public transport or taxis. This is an ongoing row between them and that reference to the Mayor calling the US Ambassador a "chiselling little crook" over this refers to the previous Mayor, Ken Livingstone, who I have to say is not exactly known for his diplomatic language! The current Mayor, Boris Johnson, wouldn't use that kind of language in public but he feels the same way.

If, say, a diplomat committed murder or another serious crime, it is possible for the diplomat's country to waive diplomatic immunity and allow him or her to be prosecuted. This very rarely happens unless it would cause severe problems between the two countries.

David

Americans do not get diplomatic immunity in their own country
but in foreign country they may

The US embassy in London - whose head has been described by the London mayor as a "chiselling little crook" - now owes more than Â£2m in unpaid congestion charge payments and other traffic penalties,

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: