Diplomatic immunity

Calla Lily · Jun 28, 2010

I have 3 Swedish nuns, all pushing 90, in the US for a brief visit. They get materials for a pipe bomb while here, create it, and one throws it toward a church vestry door. Her arm ain't what it used to be, and it falls short, causing damage that results in minor injuries, but no deaths.

Because of the nuns' advanced age, and the fact that they're nuns, is it stretching credibility to have the Church and their embassy pull strings to just get them quietly deported?

(The intent was to kill a priest who raped a friend of hers, which led to the friend's suicide, but intent isn't prosecutable, correct?)

firedrake · Jun 28, 2010

callalily61 said:
I have 3 Swedish nuns, all pushing 90, in the US for a brief visit. They get materials for a pipe bomb while here, create it, and one throws it toward a church vestry door. Her arm ain't what it used to be, and it falls short, causing damage that results in minor injuries, but no deaths.

Because of the nuns' advanced age, and the fact that they're nuns, is it stretching credibility to have the Church and their embassy pull strings to just get them quietly deported?

(The intent was to kill a priest who raped a friend of hers, which led to the friend's suicide, but intent isn't prosecutable, correct?)

Can I just say, I love the premise

I don't know the ins and outs of the law, but there was a case here in AZ a few years back where a priest was outed for sexual abuse of young boys. The Catholic Church transferred him quietly to Ireland and that's where he's stayed. The local law enforcers and politicians were hopping mad and frothing at the mouth but, apparently, couldn't do anything about it.
I'll have a google, I remember the Priest's name. (P@trick 0'Le@ry)

Calla Lily · Jun 28, 2010

Hopefully he was transferred to dank basement cell in the company of lifers with nothing to lose.

Thanks. The deportation is part of the denouement, but I want the loose ends to make sense.

waylander · Jun 28, 2010

Is the local police chief Catholic?

Calla Lily · Jun 28, 2010

Yes. Lots of good Irish Catholics on the police force in my imaginary town.

Gretad08 · Jun 28, 2010

I don't know much diplomatic immunity, but the thread made me think of James Brown's wife. She tried to get out of a ticket by claiming diplomatic immunity b/c her husband is the "ambassador of soul." Just thought that was a funny little tidbit that needed to be included in this thread

http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/mrsbrown.asp

Hallen · Jun 28, 2010

People traveling to the US on just a passport do not have diplomatic immunity, from my understanding. Only authorized ambassadors of other countries get that kind of treatment. There could be requests for extradition by the home nation, but chances are, it wouldn't matter. The crime was committed inside one country and they have a right to prosecute.

Could a sympathetic official find a way to sneak them out? Probably. Would the US seek extradition from Sweden? Probably.

Duchessmary · Jun 28, 2010

I don't think diplomatic immunity would apply in a fire bombing.

Lhun · Jun 28, 2010

It would, but nuns don't have diplomatic immunity.
It seems extremely unlikely that they would be officially let go, but if they get rushed out of the country before they can be arrested, there's not a whole lot for authorities to do from then on. They can hope the nuns will be extradited, but if the vatican wants to protect them, they'll be sent to some country where that's not going to happen.

Calla Lily · Jun 28, 2010

Grr. Thanks. All right, I'll work on it. I could have the little old nuns get arrested; it's not a deal-breaker. I'm leaning toward cover-up; Lord knows the RCC's good at that. (/sarcasm) Rushing them out of the country would be good, too.

Cover-up would work with MC character development for the next book, as well, since the local diocese is going to offer them additional work based on how they kept the worst of it out of the papers. Catholic guilt = great subplot angst.

(For anyone who's appalled: I'm an ex-nun. Been on the inside and seen too much. Thus the attitude.

)

thothguard51 · Jun 28, 2010

Diplomatic Immunity might apply to the Pope but not a nun unless she was serving in an official capacity as a diplomat.

Would the U.S. go after the nun if she was quietly taken out of country. Depends on how big of an outcry there was in the incident and how much of a name the Prosecutor wants to make for himself. My thing would be when the story gets out, what happens with the Priest who rapped her friend? "That" seems to be the bigger story to me.

Calla Lily · Jun 28, 2010

thoth, the priest is a serial rapist, blackmailer, and small-time drug dealer. The cops are going after him for the drugs and rapes, because they have lots of ways of making it stick. Because this is going to be wrapped up quickly in the denouement, I'm just going to have the MC mention it to one of the minor characters as things are getting cleaned up the next day.

I'm wondering if I can leave the question of the little old nuns getting arrested hanging a bit, with people making plans for their defense.

thothguard51 · Jun 28, 2010

The empathy factor works with the nuns... especially a t their age.

RJK · Jun 28, 2010

The nuns would need to have had diplomatic status before they acted for immunity to come into play.

Intent needs a secondary act toward the crime (throwing the cocktail), to be proved.

Depending on how minor the injuries are, and the victims' intent to prosecute, the DA would probably let them plea to a misdemeanor and have them deported. Nobody wants a 90 year old in prison.

Calla Lily · Jun 28, 2010

Very cool. Thanks, everyone!

Diplomatic immunity

Calla Lily

On hiatus

firedrake

practical experience, FTW

Calla Lily

On hiatus

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

Calla Lily

On hiatus

Gretad08

Hallen

Mostly annoying

Duchessmary

Where I want to be

Lhun

New kid, be gentle!

Calla Lily

On hiatus

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...

Calla Lily

On hiatus

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...

RJK

Sheriff Bullwinkle the Poet says:

Calla Lily

On hiatus