Princess Diana unlawfully killed
Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed on holiday
The jury noted that the couple were not wearing seatbelts, Princess Diana was unlawfully killed due to the "gross negligence" of driver Henri Paul and the paparazzi, an inquest jury has found. The jury reached the same verdict for her companion Dodi Al Fayed. The jury also specified that Mr Paul's drink-driving and a lack of seatbelts contributed to their deaths. Mr Al Fayed's father Mohamed refused to accept the verdict. Former Met Police chief Lord Stevens said he hoped it would bring "closure". The jury returned joint verdicts of unlawful killing through grossly negligent driving - or gross negligence manslaughter. The inquest into the 1997 Paris crash that killed the couple and Mr Paul lasted six months. The total cost to British taxpayers of investigating Princess Diana's death is expected to top £10 million.
Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed were killed when Mr Paul crashed a hired Mercedes into a pillar in the Pont de l'Alma in Paris in the early hours of 31 August, 1997. "They are absolutely sure that there is no conspiracy in relation to this matter"
Lord Stevens Former Met Police chief
A statement read on behalf of Mohamed Al Fayed said the verdicts would come as a blow to "millions" of his supporters around the world ." It continued: "For 10 years I have endured two police investigations. The French and the Scotland Yard inquiries were wrong. These inquests prove it. They said it was an accident and their findings are now dismissed." As he emerged from the court, he said: "The most important thing is it is murder." Asked if there would be a court challenge to the verdict by means of a High Court judicial review, Mr Al Fayed's press agent Michael Cole said: "That is a very difficult route but we are keeping all our options open."
After inquest, what next?
The Ministry of Justice confirmed it is not possible for the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute foreign nationals for deaths abroad, even if the victim is British. All of the paparazzi involved were foreign. Princess Diana's sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, left the court without commenting. A spokesman for the princess's brother Earl Spencer said he would not be making a statement. Her friend Rosa Monckton told the BBC the inquest had been "incredibly intrusive", adding: "I think there's a lot of her life that has come into the public eye that should never have been there. That's been a very unfortunate side-effect of this inquest."
Speaking about Mr Al Fayed, she said: "One must never forget that he lost a son. I just hope now that he will find some sort of peace."
Former Metropolitan Police commissioner Lord Stevens welcomed the verdicts as a "justification" of the inquiry he led into the deaths. He said: "I just hope that this can bring closure to what has been a traumatic event for many people. "Mr Al Fayed said that he will accept the verdict of the jury. The verdict has been clear. They have said they are absolutely sure that there is no conspiracy in relation to this matter. "I do hope everybody will take this verdict as being closure to this particular tragic incident and the people who've died will be allowed to rest in peace." Earlier, Coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker thanked the jury for their "considerable devotion" to duty.
Diana Inquest - ARE WE DONE NOW?!
ing last. This has gone on for too long, and cost too much. Though the fact that it basically told us what we already knew I can't help but find a travesty.
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Originally Posted by Carach
