Criminal law, International, Society

Qatar Prince Who Claimed Immunity In High-Speed Chase Flees The Country

Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 8.29.43 PMWe have been discussing the controversy over a man from Qatar who went on a dangerous high-speed chase in a yellow Ferrari and then both threatened a reporter and claimed diplomatic immunity. He informed the reporter that he could kill him with utter immunity from prosecution and topped off that threat by saying “F*** America.” It is now confirmed that this disgraceful thug is a member of Qatar’s ruling family: Sheik Khalid bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar’s ruling family. Al-Thani claimed immunity but does not actually have it. However, by some incredible sequence of events, Al-Thani was allowed to flee the country to avoid any accountability.


Al-Thani had been staying at the Beverly Wilshire hotel and started the race between his Ferrari LaFerrari and a Porsche 911 GT3 in Beverly Hills.

After discussing the matter with the U.S. State Department and the Qatar consulate, authorities concluded he did not have immunity. However, as Qatar engaged with the State Department, someone alerted Al-Thani and got him out of the country. He proved to be correct. He is immune. He can endanger average citizens and even kill one. Not because he has diplomatic immunity but because he is a Qatari prince who can simply take a flight out of the country.

Now here is the curious question. How can the Administration be engaged with a foreign government over the possible arrest of a Qatari but not place a hold or secure an agreement to avoid his leaving the country. While there was a paucity of evidence on identifying the driver, Al-Thani could have been brought into the police station for questioning, particularly since the reporter alleged assault. We presumably still track people leaving the country. Yet, it seems that (while discussing the problem) the problem was allowed to solve itself by hopping a plane.

Source: LA Times

55 thoughts on “Qatar Prince Who Claimed Immunity In High-Speed Chase Flees The Country”

  3. It’s OK. Were are just second class citizens in our own country. Illegal aliens and foreign diplomats and any one else gets preferential treatment. We are just here to provide taxes and pay for the gravy train….Oh….and shut up about it too!

  4. We have our own version of “savagery” right here in the U.S. and it’s allowed to continue unchecked.

  5. We enlisted this thuggish nation to “supervise” the 5 Taliban terrorists we traded for the coward, Bowe Bergdahl. Their “supervision” will be over soon and they will be free to go back to their savagery.

  9. This sort of thing is inevitable. A Libyan shot and killed a British police officer from a window of the Libyan embassy in London some years ago and through diplomatic concerns was allowed to leave the country. From the earliest times those in high places have escaped justice. Those representing the leadership of countries typically were protected where ever they went, regardless of what they did. It would be tit for tat otherwise. The only control was the choice of representatives. In this case you can’t choose your family. The Qatar ruling family gave birth to a demented boy and he has run amok. The only thing the US can do is to not let him back in, ever.

  12. Qatar: Pirate Territory. Nuff said. Diplomatic immunity? Jeso. Make him walk the plank. Pirates should not be allowed in our shores much less be given some higher being status.

  13. Wealthy Arabs get a pass on everything..whether it’s endangering humans in Beverly Hills with their expensive cars or funding terrorism or helping their own people who are struggling as a result of a sectarian fueled rampage. We excuse entire countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The wealthy Arab theocrats of the ME are immune in every sense.

    As to the incompetence of the Administration, I don’t think it was incompetence. This lovely man was allowed to leave by design. As in most things, average Americans do not matter

  14. Understanding Qatar. The legal system is based on Sharia law.

    Like most of its near neighbors, Qatar is a hereditary monarchy; it has been ruled by the same family since the nineteenth century.
    (The inaugural speech of the democracy conference was given by Qatar’s heir apparent, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.)
    There is no independent legislature and political parties are forbidden; civil society groups outside the state are virtually nonexistent. Qatar
    is also the only country other than Saudi Arabia to be dominated by the conservative Wahhabi branch of Sunni Islam, and its legal system is based in part on Sharia law.

  15. You seem shocked, and yet while propaganda says we try to promote democracy, we actually support dictatorships….unless of course they nationalize their oil resources…or get too greedy like Noriega. But let them supply us oil or resources and they will always be our “staunch allies”, even if they are abusing people to the point of death.

    Our Government has always been our own worst enemy.

  17. Jonathan Turley said:

    “Now here is the curious question. How can the Administration be engaged with a foreign government over the possible arrest of Qatari but not place a hold or secure an agreement to avoid his leaving the country.”

    We couldn’t arrest him.

    “But police weren’t able to prove who was behind the wheel in the video. After the video went online, police investigated but couldn’t find anyone willing to identify the drivers, said Lt. Lincoln Hoshino.”

    “No one produced any evidence of who was at the wheel of the two cars,” Hoshino said. “The drivers weren’t visible on the videos or photographs.”

    Source: LA Times 17 Sep 2015

  20. 1) Because the US is a country that spends billions on feckless national security efforts, but has borders more porous than a sieve.

    2) Because the rich can pretty much do what they want without repercussion.

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