Harry Dunn death: Teenager's mother has 'renewed hope' for justice from Joe Biden
The president-elect's first wife Neilia and 13-month-old daughter Naomi were killed in a crash a week before Christmas in 1972.
Sunday 8 November 2020 15:07, UK
The mother of Harry Dunn says she has "renewed hope" for justice from US president-elect Joe Biden, who has himself lost a child in a road collision.
Harry, 19, was killed in a crash involving American Anne Sacoolas near the US intelligence base RAF Croughton, in Northamptonshire, in August 2019.
The former CIA agent later left the UK, claiming diplomatic immunity.
"I've got some renewed hope from Mr Biden getting in but I'm aware we've still got work to do," Harry's mother Charlotte Charles told Sky News, after victory was declared over Donald Trump in the US election.
"I hope that because he's got personal experience of having lost two children that he'll understand properly the pain and suffering and how it rips your life apart."
In 1972, Mr Biden's first wife Neilia and 13-month-old daughter Naomi were killed in a crash a week before Christmas. His two sons, Hunter and Beau, also suffered serious injuries in the collision.
Five years ago, Beau died from a brain tumour.
"I don't think anyone forgets the pain of losing a child even though it was all those years ago, it never leaves you, and to lose a son more recently I can but hope those direct experiences as a parent will mean he'll have a far wider, deeper understanding of the suffering we're going through," Mrs Charles said.
Mrs Sacoolas was charged with causing Harry's death by dangerous driving. However, following a request by the UK, the Trump administration refused to extradite her, saying the decision was "final".
Mrs Charles, who met with Mr Trump at the White House last October, said the president had tried to engineer a meeting between the two mothers, but that she would not agree unless Mrs Sacoolas returned to the UK to face a trial. She said she felt Mrs Sacoolas had been "hiding behind" the Trump administration.
"I keep my fingers crossed we may have another trip to the White House in future to meet Mr Biden to talk to him face to face like I did President Trump but hopefully talk to someone who understands at a far deeper level what we're going through because of his experiences," she added.
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Mrs Charles who said she "went off the edge of a cliff" when she thought Mr Trump was going to be re-elected earlier in the week, said the "Justice for Harry" campaign team had been in touch with representatives for Mr Biden and she said they'd "work even harder to befriend even more of his team".
She also said she was "looking forward" to judicial review court proceedings next week, at which Harry's family will challenge whether Mrs Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity.