LONDON, Sept. 27, 2007
Jury Selection Begins For Diana Inquest
Proceedings In London Expected To Last At Least Six Months
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Mohamed al Fayed, father of Dodi Fayed, has never believed the deaths of his son and Princess Diana were an accident. His legal team will be involved in the new inquest in London. (AP Photo/PA, Cathal McNaughton)
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Princes William (left) and Harry, seen here May 13, 2007, in London, are focusing on her legacy and marked the ten-year anniversary of her passing with a star-studded benefit concert in London. (AP)
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Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed, enjoying the sun at St. Tropez on the French Riviera, Aug. 22, 1997. (AP)
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The court will select at between seven and 11 jurors from a pool of up to 200 candidates, court officials said.
The inquest is scheduled to start on Oct. 2.
The princess and Fayed died in a high-speed car crash at the Pont d'Alma tunnel in Paris. Their driver, Henri Paul, also died.
Police inquiries in France and Britain concluded that the crash was an accident and that the driver was intoxicated.
Fayed's father, Mohamed al Fayed, contends that the couple were the victims of a plot orchestrated by Prince Philip and the British security services. Al Fayed's legal team will participate in the inquest.
Photos: The Princess Mom
The inquest is expected to continue for at least six months, including a visit by the jury to the crash scene in Paris.
Inquests must be held in Britain in cases of violent or unnatural death, a sudden death of unknown cause or a death in prison. A death abroad is subject to an inquest if the body is returned to Britain.
British authorities delayed holding an inquest in Diana's case until French legal proceedings were complete.
A French judged ruled in 1999 that the crash was an accident. In 2002, France's highest court dropped manslaughter charges against nine photographers who pursued the car before it crashed or who took photos at the site. In 2003, three photographers were acquitted in a French case brought by al Fayed, who alleged they invaded his son's privacy by taking pictures.
The inquest process began in Britain in January 2004, when coroner Michael Burgess asked John Stevens, former head of the Metropolitan Police, to investigate the case.
Stevens issued his report in December, and he dismissed claims of a conspiracy.
Preliminary hearings began in January with Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, a former family court judge, acting as coroner.
Butler-Sloss withdrew from the case after al Fayed won a court ruling that a jury rather than the coroner should reach a verdict. A senior jurist, Justice Scott Baker, then was appointed to serve as coroner.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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- This was definitely no accident. Murders are everywhere - even our neighbours.
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- Accidents happen, assassinations happen, suicides happen. Princess Diana, JFK, Robert Kennedy, MLK, Marilyn Monroe. People who don''t want to accept "plain truth" always look towards conspiracy. I believe in each case that "it was as it was." Perhaps, if it wasn''t plain and simple, people would feel "better" about the incident?
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- This is still news because people do not want Royalty or High Government Officials to arrogantly take it upon themselves to control any situation they feel unfitting.To directly cause the deaths of these people, in defending the higher cause of the Monarchy, is unthinkable. This arrogance that results from having power has no boundaries. The only way to fight it, is to uncover it.
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- OK, even Coretta Scott King and her children don''t believe the arrest made was the right person. I remember what a horror this was the night that they televised Dr. King''s death on tv. I later went down to stay at the Lorraine Motel where this tragedy took place. It is now a "Museum". It''s still unbelievable. Senator Robert Kennedy''s assassination, as well as President Kennedy - - - I''ll never forget how I felt during those times (and I was a teen back then).
Flash forward forty years, and we have Princess Di''s death. Strange how these people''s death is suppossed to be pushed under a rug, and considered old news. These are people''s lives we are talking about here (and their deaths too). Something just wasn''t right that night. I will never believe that it was an "accident". - Reply to this comment
- This is still news because the reigning family are responsible for what happened to her. People want to know the truth. Why did this happen to her? Who is responsible. Even her son Harry is still left questioning this. Imagine if their Grandfather did this and their Father knew, how awful for the kids.
We still want the truth as to who shot JFK. When can we know the truth on that one? I also don''t believe MLK''s assassin was the right one either.
The public are lied to constantly by the government. - Reply to this comment
- Now HERE is a valuable use of time and money!
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- Why is this still news?
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