WARRINGTON South MP Sarah Hall is calling on the Government to use every available channel to press authorities in Texas to reopen or formally reconsider the case of Lucy Harrison from Great Sankey, who was shot and killed by her father while visiting his home in Texas.
Ms Hall raised Lucy’s case in the House of Commons on Thursday 16 July during the Sir David Amess Adjournment Debate.
Lucy, from Great Sankey, Warrington was 23 when she was shot and killed by her British father while visiting his home in Texas in January 2025. A grand jury in Texas considered the case, but no criminal charges were brought.
Lucy’s death was later examined at an inquest in Cheshire. Senior Coroner Jacqueline Devonish found that Lucy had been unlawfully killed and concluded that the actions which caused her death amounted to gross negligence manslaughter.
The inquest also heard evidence concerning the trajectory of the bullet, the distance from which it had been fired and Lucy’s position when she was shot. The Coroner concluded that the physical evidence did not support the account given about how Lucy’s death occurred.
Lucy’s family still do not know exactly what evidence was placed before the grand jury in Texas. They do not know whether it considered the full evidence heard at the Cheshire inquest, including evidence about alcohol, the bullet’s trajectory, the firing distance and inconsistencies in the account of what happened.
Ms Hall has now asked the Government to stand alongside Lucy’s family and press the relevant authorities in Texas to consider the findings of the British inquest and reopen or formally reconsider the case.
Lucy’s mum, Jane, is now campaigning for the case to be reconsidered by the US authorities.
Her ‘For Luce’ campaign is also seeking changes so that British families dealing with a death overseas receive better information and support from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Ms. Hall said: “From the very beginning, Jane, Sam and Lucy’s loved ones have only wanted one thing. They wanted justice.
“The inquest held in Warrington heard detailed evidence and reached a conclusion that was fundamentally different to the one reached in Texas. I don’t think any reasonable person could look at those two outcomes and say there are no further questions to answer.
“In light of everything that has since come to light, Lucy’s family are owed a proper reconsideration of the case. The authorities in Texas should now reopen it.”
“This isn’t about telling another country how its justice system should operate. It’s about asking that the findings of a senior British Coroner, reached after hearing all of the available evidence, are properly considered by the authorities in Texas.
“Jane has shown remarkable strength over the past eighteen months. Every step of this campaign has come from a mother’s determination to get answers for her daughter. Sam has stood beside her every step of the way. They have carried themselves with dignity throughout, despite everything they have been through.
“I promised Jane that I would do everything I could to support that fight, and that is exactly what I intend to do.
“I will keep raising Lucy’s case in Parliament, keep pressing Ministers and keep asking the authorities in Texas to reopen the case and consider the evidence heard at the Cheshire inquest.
“We have heard Lucy’s truth. Her family have fought to make sure it was heard. Now we need justice for Lucy.”
Jane Coates, Lucy Harrison’s mum, said: “Watching Sarah speak about Lucy in Parliament was incredibly emotional. She spoke about Lucy as the person we know and love.
“The inquest heard detailed evidence and reached a clear conclusion about how Lucy died. What we still do not know is whether all that evidence was properly considered by the grand jury in Texas.
“That is why we are asking for the case in the US to be reopened. We are asking for the findings of the inquest and the evidence heard in Cheshire to be looked at and considered in their entirety.
“Lucy cannot speak for herself, so we have to keep speaking for her. We will keep asking questions and we will keep pushing for her case to be reconsidered.
“I am grateful to Sarah for standing beside us and for making sure Lucy’s name was heard in Parliament. We have heard Lucy’s truth. Now we need justice for Lucy.”
Sam Littler, Lucy Harrison’s partner, said: “Lucy and I were building a life together. We had our home, our plans and so much ahead of us. Losing her changed everything.
“Watching her story being told in Parliament was hard, but I was proud that people were hearing about Lucy as the person she was, not just what happened to her.
“The inquest reached a very clear conclusion. What we still don’t know is whether all of that evidence was properly considered by the grand jury in Texas.
“That is why we need the case to be looked at again. There are still questions that have not gone away, and Lucy deserves for those questions to be answered.
