December 06, 2004
Diplomacy
Teo Peter, founding member of the Romanian rock group "Contact", was killed in a traffic accident in Bucharest on December 4.
Peter traveled in a taxi that was struck by a US Embassy vehicle driven by US Marine Robert Christopher. Witnesses report that 31-year-old Marine drove his car at high speed through an intersection, did not heed the traffic signs, and hit the taxi. The impact was so forceful that the taxi whirled through the air and hit a pillar in front of the Sudanese embassy. Rescue workers could not save Peter's life, the driver of the taxi was severly wounded but is said to be in stable condition.
Christopher was brought to the police station, where he was questioned and took a breathlyzer test. He agreed to these procedures and also signed a sworn statement.
According to Bucharest Police, the breathalyzer test showed the American driver had a 0.09 milligrams alcohol level in his blood, where as, under Romanian law, drivers are not allowed to drink at all. When police saw the breathalyzer results, they tried to take the marine to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine to perform a blood test, but he refused, saying the institute does not use the "medical instruments offered by the embassy," according to the police press release.The U.S. Embassy announced the marine has already been taken out of the country, guarded by a security officer, and is now in a U.S. military base in Europe.
The Romanians are understandably upset about this incident. They demand the return of the Marine and a waiver of his immunity. They refer to the case of a drunk Georgian diplomat who killed a little girl in an accident in the US in 1997. Back then, the US demanded of Georgia to waive the diplomat's immunity and the request was granted.
U.S. Ambassador Jack Dyer Crouch said the Romanian authorities were informed that the Marine officer would be taken out of Romania, adding that the Convention in Austria states that any embassy employee has the right to leave the country in order to be investigated in his own country. Crouch said the Romanian authorities did not need to give their approval for the American Marine to be evacuated to his own country, as his departure was in the interests of those involved in the case and that it was a decision of the American government.
Well.
Posted by claudia at December 6, 2004 03:05 PMThat is a very sad story. I hope the military authorities are going to try him in a criminal case for the death. I really don't like the idea of someone committing a crime and being able to hide behind a diplomatic shield.
Cheers,
Lorraine
Posted by: Lorraine at December 6, 2004 06:05 PMAgreed, on all three points.
Posted by: Bernard Guerrero at December 6, 2004 10:29 PMFirst I saw this covered by the news and couldn't believe the stupid way of someone's demise - especially that the accident followed the debute of "Rock in my heart" festival which was organized by Teo. Then I was outraged by the insolence of the marine who refused to give a blood sample, and then I was even more shocked by the US officials who decided to sneak the man out of the country.
Posted by: Tina at December 6, 2004 10:55 PMIt's the little things that add up.
Posted by: Randy McDonald at December 6, 2004 11:02 PMIt's a shame what happened. Teo Peter and his band meant a lot many people, especially during communism where there were such a few ways to escape the madness. Their music was one of them.
Romania is still one of the apparently few countries where America still has an idyllic image. I'm not saying that people will turn 180 degrees over night, but some of this image will be lost in the minds of many.
I don't know about you, Bernard, but I don't want to be cremated by Ewoks.
Posted by: Carlos at December 8, 2004 03:28 AMHaving James Earl Jones' voice might be worth it. But hey, I don't need to tell _you_ that.
Posted by: Bernard Guerrero at December 8, 2004 03:39 AM"Having James Earl Jones' voice might be worth it. But hey, I don't need to tell _you_ that."
THIS IS CNN
Posted by: dennis at December 8, 2004 08:21 PMToday, the 23rd of January, 2006, at the Quantico (Virginia) Military Base, the trial of the marine beggins.
Let's see what's happen'...
Hi there!
I am a romanian but i live in UK for long now!The decision of US Court that "the marine" found not guilty for killing Teo Peter in Romania, proves a point - U.S. = bully!
So much for the american justice...shame
Ciprian
Ciprian, I don't know the details of how this verdict was arrived at. But there have been many cases -- and not only under this administration -- involving the deaths of non-Americans where US military personnel have gotten off much more lightly than reports of the situation would indicate.
It's painful to watch. and it concerns the hell out of me.
Posted by: Carlos at February 1, 2006 02:55 AMTurns out that Teo Peter wasn't even in the Taxi.
I really like to know how do americans get convicted, when you can always argument that you were never born because the prosecutor didn't brought your parents to the stand.
It's F****** infuriating.
I would like to say my opinion too regarding what happenned ....i am a romanian citizen and i am extremely shocked and dissapointed by the decizion of the court...just because u don t even know where Romania is on the map it doesn't mean that you can treat people like this...and like CIPRIAN said:shame on YOU you sick bastards!!! I have changed my whole opinion about the US and everything american...hope a bomb drops on you and may the arab people show what you really are in their own way....You are the real TERRORRISTS...think about that
Posted by: Radu at February 2, 2006 12:16 AMHm, Radu.
You will have noticed that the Americans on this blog - including our valued readers - have politely ignored your rude outburst. I thank them for that.
I would like you to reconsider what you said. I can understand that you are outraged - so am I. However, to wish bombs and terrorist attacks on a nation, full of innocent and decent people, people who have never even heard of said incident, proves only a point that should have not even been considered: a fair treatment of foreigners in Romania cannot not to be expected. Think about whether you really want to give this impression.
Because I don't think this is true.
Posted by: claudia at February 2, 2006 07:10 AM