The key facts

  • Cheshire Police told the victim's mother it has no legal authority to interfere with decisions of US authorities
  • A coroner in England ruled in February that Lucy Harrison's death was an unlawful killing, but a grand jury in Texas declined to bring charges
  • The family asked not to redo the American investigation, but to obtain and examine evidence that had not been investigated

Police declined to intervene

The mother of a British woman shot dead by her father in the US state of Texas has received a response from UK police saying it 'has no legal authority to intervene' in decisions made by American authorities, BBC News reports. Lucy Harrison, 23, from Warrington, was wounded by a gunshot to the chest on 10 January 2025 in Prosper, near Dallas. Her mother, Jane Coates, wrote to Cheshire Police asking them to gather evidence at the scene and liaise with US authorities. Deputy Chief Constable Mike Evans replied that the police are 'constrained' by law and jurisdiction: even where jurisdiction formally exists, the practical ability to investigate and prosecute 'remains extremely limited' when the suspect, witnesses and physical evidence are abroad.

Two different conclusions about the death

The case illustrates a divergence between two legal systems. According to the BBC, a grand jury in Collin County declined to indict the victim's father, Chris Harrison, who claimed the Glock pistol fired accidentally while he was showing it to his daughter. Texas police said they would not reopen the investigation. However, in February a coroner in England concluded that Lucy was unlawfully killed, and that the father's actions amounted to gross negligence manslaughter under British law. The family pointed out that Chris Harrison is a British citizen, and that in certain circumstances those accused of murder from the UK can be tried in British courts; Evans, in response, pointed to the practical limitations of such a route.

What the family is doing

In October, Coates flew to Texas, trying to meet the Collin County district attorney and secure a reopening of the investigation, but she was told that he would not speak to her. Her lawyer, Rudd Seiger, said the family has 'serious concerns' about the investigation and whether all relevant evidence was properly collected and examined; according to him, among other things, a recent data extraction from Lucy's phone contains information the family believes is relevant to the circumstances before her death. He stressed that the family is not asking Cheshire Constabulary to take over the American investigation, but asking it to 'obtain and examine relevant evidence that has not yet been properly investigated', and does not accept that the investigation should be considered closed merely because US authorities decided not to pursue the case. Evans, for his part, noted that given the 'unusual circumstances' of the death, the police appointed a senior investigating officer, who assigned a family liaison officer and requested information from US law enforcement agencies.

Lucy Harrison, who has long blonde hairImage source, FACEBOOK
Image caption,

Lucy Harrison was killed at her father's home in Texas but no criminal case was ever brought

Jane Coates, a woman with blonde hair looks stoically out.
Image caption,

Jane Coates wrote to Cheshire Constabulary to ask if they would liaise with Prosper Police

Lucy Harrison, who has long blonde hair resting on top of her head, smiles at the cameraLucy Harrison, who has long blonde hair resting on top of her head, smiles at the cameraLucy Harrison, who has long blonde hair resting on top of her head, smiles at the cameraSam Littler, in his 20s, who has dark blonde hair and a black t-shirt, smiles at the camera. Lucy Harrison, 23, who has wavy blonde hair and a grey sweatshirt, rests her head against his cheek and holds her right hand to his face affectionately.Lucy Harrison, who has long blonde hair resting on top of her head, smiles at the camera