Diana photographers to go on trial in privacy case
( 2003-10-24 09:51) (Agencies)
Three photographers who took pictures of Britain's
Princess Diana and her friend Dodi al Fayed in their car shortly before their
fatal crash in 1997 go on trial in a Paris court on Friday for invasion of
privacy.
The case against Jacques Langevin of Sygma agency, Christian Martinez of the
Angeli agency and freelancer Fabrice Chassery follows a complaint by Dodi's
father Mohamed al Fayed, the millionaire owner of London's famous Harrods store.
The trial for invasion of privacy will hang on a recently established
precedent in French law under which the interior of a car is deemed private even
if it is on a public road. If found guilty, they could be jailed for a year and
ordered to pay fines of 45,000 euros ($53,000).
Diana, al Fayed and driver
Henri Paul died in a high-speed crash on August 31, 1997, as their Mercedes was
pursued by paparazzi on motorbikes through central Paris. Egyptian tycoon
Mohamed al Fayed lost his bid to have the photographers chasing the car tried
for manslaughter when France's highest court ruled they were too far away to
have caused the accident.
Friday's trial comes amid renewed controversy in Britain over Diana's death
following the revelation by her former butler Paul Burrell of a secret letter in
which the princess predicted her own death.
Burrell said the princess had given him a letter written in October 1996 in
which she said someone was planning to kill her in a car crash, in order to
allow her estranged husband Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, to
remarry.
The report led Mohamed al Fayed, who has repeatedly claimed Diana and his son
were murdered by the British secret services because their relationship
embarrassed the royal household, to renew his call for a full public inquiry.
The British government has rejected the demand.
Evidence at the initial inquiry showed that the driver Henri Paul had been
drunk at the time of the accident, something his parents deny.
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