WASHINGTON (AP) — A recent boost in titles for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has proven crucial to shielding him from a U.S. lawsuit in the killing of a U.S.-based journalist. The Biden administration told a federal judge in Washington, D.C., that Prince Mohammed’s standing as prime minister means he has legal immunity from the lawsuit brought by the fiancee of the late journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The U.S. intelligence community says the Saudi crown prince approved the 2018 killing of the Washington Post columnist. The Biden administration and many legal experts agree that the prime minister post conveys immunity from U.S. courts, but critics call the title change a cynical ploy to evade U.S. courts.
Saudi prince’s new title key to dodging lawsuit over killing
