Evening star., 1952-08-01
Action Sought
Against Driver
For Arab Prince
Lancaster Will Press
Speed Count Despite
Claim of Immunity

Claim Of Immunity
States Attorney Carlyle J.
Lancaster will continue his plans
to prosecute a speeding charge
against a Washington embassy
chauffeur, unless tangible proof
is submitted showing his right to
diplomatic immunity.
It was Mr.. Lancaster who early
yesterday decided police should
charge Walter c. Hook, jr., 80,
with speeding during a 70-to-90-
mile-an-hour chase on Route
between College Park and Laurel,
Md.
Chauffeur for Embassy.
Mr.. Hook is a chauffeur for the
Saudi Arabian Embassy here-a
position he has held for seven
years, according to an embassy
spokesman.
Raymond .. Muir. the State De-
partment's deputy chief of proto-
col, said Mr.. Hook is entitled to
immunity He is a personal chauf-
feur for Sheik ASad Al-Faqih,
Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the
United States.
Mr.. Lancaster, however, said he
wants more concrete evidence Of
MIR. Hooks status. He said he will
drop the charge, if it is shown that
Mr.. Hook is on the diplomatic
immunity list"
II think I'm entitled to more
than simply word over a tele-
phone.'' Mr.. Lancaster declared.
Explains Immunity Procedure.
Mr.. Muir said Mr.. Hooks name
is on what is called the white
list" of Embassy and Legation
employees having diplomatic i'm
munity. This list is maintained
separately from the "blue book"
listing Ambassadors, Ministers and
top diplomatic officials.
The procedure is for an En-
bassy to notify the State Depart
ment the names of its employees
clerks, household servants, chauf-
feurS, etc. Then these names
automatically go on the immunity
list. Copies of the list are fur
nished the United States Marshal
and most police precincts in the
District as a matter Of routine.
When an Embassy employe is
arrested or gets a traffic ticket.
the usual procedure is for the
Embassy to notify the State De-
partment. The department then
writes the local official concerned,
formally notifying him that the
employe has diplomatic immunity.
So far, Mr.. Muir said this
morning, the State Department
has heard nothing from the
Saudi Arabian Embassy on the
Hook case.
Reused At 2 AM.
Mr.. Lancaster said he was
aroused from bed about 2 am.
yesterday by State Trooper Rob-
ert Knight, the arresting police
man. At that time, he said, he
directed the trooper to place the
charge and set the bond at 81, 100.
The bond was posted by profess
sional bondsman.
So far, neither the State De-
partment nor the Embassy has
specifically asked for any i'm
munity, both Mr.. Lancaster and
police said.
Reasons For Decisions.
Mr.. Lancaster said he did not
believe the diplomatic immunity
regulations are broad enough to
cover this situation. He said he
based his decision on these facts
Cd Mr.. Hook was alone at the
time; t2) he is an American citi-
zen; 60 he lives in Alexandria
Va; (N the car he was driving
did not bear diplomatic tags. and
60 it was not shown he was act
ing in an official capacity.
Mr.. Hook, who listed his address
as RID 6, Alexandria, was said
to have been en- route to New York
when the arrest took place. An
embassy employe said he was to
have met Prince Talai, son of
King Ibn Saud, there yesterday
The Prince, who has been in this
country for a month, was going
by plane.
Trooper Knight said he spotted
the 1852 Cadillac just outside
College Park, headed north at a
high rate of speed. He said he
chased the car for 10 miles and
reached 80 miles per hour himself
without catching up.
Forced to Slow Down.
The trooper notified Laure,
police. who set up a road block
but this wasn't necessary, police
said. Mr.. Hook finally was forced
to slow down because of two
tractor-trailers in front of him
Trooper Knight reported.
Adding he wanted to stud!
further the law governing sucl
arrests, Mr.. Lancaster said he ma!
let the court decide on the i'm
munity question. AS matters nov
stand, Mr.. Hook faces a hearinI
In Hyattsville Police Court a
$3.50 am. August Is.
Man Is Stopped in Effort