
No criminal charges over British woman shot dead in US
The exact circumstances of how Ms Harrison was shot have not been publicly revealed. A heavily redacted police report previously said a suspect had been identified by officers, along with five witnesses, at her father's property.
'No accountability'
Ms Coates said a grand jury, which had since reviewed the case, "concluded that the evidence didn't meet the threshold for criminal charges"."This means that, as far as they are concerned, there will be no criminal charges for the person who shot Lucy."She added her family found it "baffling and beyond comprehension" that there would be "no accountability for what happened to my daughter"."The international element, coupled with a different legal system, practice and thresholds, makes the outcome even harder and more frustrating to accept."Along with Ms Harrison's partner, Sam Littler, she said she would "welcome learning more from communities and groups in Texas who are working to prevent gun deaths".Ms Coates added her daughter, who studied sociology and took part in college debates, would have been a "fierce advocate of this".
UK inquest
Mr Littler, who met Ms Harrison when they attended the same school, said: "This outcome has left us baffled, heartbroken and it has been incredibly frustrating to understand the thresholds and legal system in Texas."He said he was "one of the very fortunate ones who met 'their person' at a very young age and I will be forever grateful to experience that, even for just one minute"."Like Jane, I miss the smiles, the belly laughs, and how passionate and driven she was when she talked about her work."A UK coroner is due to hold an inquest over Ms Harrison's death at a later date, Ms Coates said.About 400 people attended her daughter's funeral at a church in Warrington, where the young couple had recently bought a home.
Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
8 minutes ago
- The Independent
Victim dies after falling 150 feet from rock formation in Colorado
An adult died after falling 150 feet off of a steep rock face in Colorado, officials said. Emergency crews responded to a 'tragic incident' near Eagle Gate and Pine Valley Road on Thursday morning, Elk Creek Fire Department announced. An adult, whose identity has not been publicly identified, died after a fall of approximately 150 feet from a rock formation southwest of Conifer, 'with a significant portion of the fall being a free fall,' the fire department said. It's not immediately clear what the person was doing in the area or what caused the fall. Bethany Urban, the fire department's spokesperson, told the Denver Post that authorities are working to determine whether the person was climbing on public or private property. 'It was a recovery, unfortunately, not a rescue,' Urban said. The rescue crews conducted a 'difficult high angle rope recovery operation' with the support of various nearby authorities, including Conifer Fire, Alpine Rescue Team, and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. Photos published by Elk Creek Fire Department captured dozens of helmet-wearing rescue workers holding a long rope during the rescue operation. 'Our hearts are with the victim's loved ones during this incredibly painful time,' Elk Creek Fire said. The harrowing incident comes days after someone else fell hundreds of feet in the state. On Wednesday, the Alpine Rescue Team rescued a person who fell 200 feet in 'steep snow' at Saint Mary's Glacier, the department said. The victim suffered 'significant injuries' and was life-flighted. The crew was able to stabilize the patient.


The Guardian
21 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Grenade missing from scene of blast that killed three LA police officers
A grenade is missing from the scene of an explosion that killed three people at a Los Angeles law enforcement training facility, authorities said. Three veteran deputy sheriffs died in the explosion last Friday, the LA county sheriff's department's largest loss of life in a single incident since 1857. Sheriff Robert Luna said the men were working on two 'military-style' grenades when one detonated. The other is unaccounted for, Luna said, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, which is investigating the blast. Luna said authorities have X-rayed special enforcement bureau vehicles, searched the blast area, and examined office spaces and the gym, but have not found the second grenade. 'You get the drift. We have looked at everything out there that we possibly could,' he said, adding that no one from the public has had access to the area. The grenades were seized at an apartment complex in Santa Monica a day before the explosion, Luna said. He said detectives X-rayed the devices and believed they were inert. The devices were then taken to be 'destroyed and rendered safe' at the Biscailuz training facility, where one exploded. Luna said he has called for an independent review of the policies and practices of the arson and explosives team, and has already changed how it handles these types of situations. 'All future explosive devices, inert or not, will be treated as if they are all live and will be disposed of accordingly,' he said. It was not known whether the grenades had any connection to the military. The men killed were detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus and William Osborn. They served 19, 22 and 33 years in the department, respectively. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is expected to publish a final report on their deaths in September.


The Independent
38 minutes ago
- The Independent
‘Let them destroy each other': Democrats planning Epstein-focused town halls in GOP districts
Democrats are once again planning a blitz of town hall meetings in Republican-led communities, though this time they are armed with a new and polarizing topic: Jeffrey Epstein. The issue of the so-called 'Epstein files' — including the details of high-profile people associated with the disgraced financier and sex offender — continues to divide the GOP, with some calling for further transparency and others, including the president himself, urging people to move on. 'Let them destroy each other. If we have to throw a log on the fire, we'll do it,' one House Democratic aide told The Hill. Further fuel for such fires followed a report from The Wall Street Journal that revealed the alleged existence of a 'bawdy' 50th birthday card from Trump to Epstein. The president has denied the validity of the letter and has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch, WSJ 's parent company Dow Jones and the two journalists whose bylines appear on the story. During the town halls, Democrats will reportedly attempt to marry the Epstein fallout with their previous attack lines, including broken promises by Trump and the GOP to lower costs for working families. Tax cuts and an apparent refusal to share information of those allegedly associated with Epstein demonstrate the GOP's protections for the super wealthy, Democratic officials argue. 'Everything that House Republicans have done, everything this administration has done since Donald Trump took office, is in defense of the elites,' Democratic whip Katherine Clark told The Hill. The outlet points to scheduled visits to Republican towns by Democrats in coming weeks. On July 31, Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan is scheduled to speak in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin — the hometown of his GOP counterpart Derrick Van Orden. Florida Democrat Maxwell Frost has also planned a series of meetings, including a July 26 town hall in Dayton, Ohio, with Senator Chris Murphy, and another event with Senator Elizabeth Warren in Nebraska at the end of August. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who launched a series of 'fighting oligarchy' rallies with Senator Bernie Sanders earlier this year, is also reportedly eyeing additional travel to Republican hotbeds while Congress is on its summer recess. The plans appear to already be rattling some Republicans. 'Democrats are still pretty determined to hijack our town halls and try to prevent us from having this conversation with our constituents, so I would encourage them to use other means,' National Republican Congressional Committee chair Richard Hudson told The Hill. Meanwhile, the Epstein saga shows no signs of slowing down after the financier's ex-girlfriend, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche twice last week. During the in-depth interviews Maxwell answered questions about '100 different people,' her lawyer said. According to The New York Times, Maxwell has made it clear that in exchange for information she wants a reduction of her 20-year sentence or a pardon. When asked by reporters about a potential pardon for her, Trump replied: 'I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I haven't thought about.'