Qatari prince flees U.S. after his Ferrari was filmed drag-racing through Beverly Hills


Last weekend, Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad al Thani, a member of Qatar's ruling family, was apparently caught on video speeding through the streets of Beverly Hills in a very expensive yellow Ferrari LeFerrari, followed by a white Porsche 911 GT3. When police approached him, al Thani told them that he had diplomatic immunity and denied driving recklessly, according to Beverly Hills police. You can judge for yourself, but be warned, there is profanity in the video:
It turns out, Beverly Hills Police Chief Dominick Rivetti said at a news conference on Thursday, al Thani does not have diplomatic immunity, adding that his police will apply the law equally regardless of "who you are, who you know, or where you are from." Al Thani, a noted drag-racing enthusiast, didn't stick around, the Los Angeles Times reports, leaving the country with his expensive luxury sports cars apparently in tow. He might have gotten off on a technicality, though. "No one produced any evidence of who was at the wheel of the two cars," says Lt. Lincoln Hoshino. "The drivers weren't visible on the videos or photographs."
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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