Diana Inquest: Jury Retires To Consider Its Verdict
Written by Joanne Leyland
Wednesday, 02 April 2008
Six months to the day since proceedings opened,
the jury at the inquest into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and
Dodi Fayed have retired to consider their verdict.
The coroner, Lord Justice Scott Baker, sent the jury out after
concluding almost three days of summing up what has been an exhaustive
analysis of the crash which killed Diana, Dodi and their French driver,
Henri Paul.
Ending almost three days of summing up, the coroner told the jury that they have many aspects to discuss, including with respect to the death of Diana: "Could strained relations with some members of the Royal family or her involvement with the anti-landmine campaign, or her involvement with Dodi and the al Fayed family have prompted some person or persons to decide to kill, injure or scare her?"
Referring to the possibly negligence of the driver, Henri Paul, Lord Justice Scott Baker told the jury: "The complaint is that he drove excessively fast when he knew that he had drunk enough alcohol to affect his ability to drive safely and that he was racing to get away from the paparazzi".
The jury have five verdicts from which to choose. They are:
* UNLAWFUL KILLING: This verdict will be returned if the jury
believe Diana and Dodi died because of grossly negligent driving by the
paparazzi who were pursuing the Mercedes into the Alma tunnel in the
early hours of Sunday 31st August 1997.
* UNLAWFUL KILLING: due to the negligent driving of Henri Paul.
Medical reports have established that the acting Head of Security at
The Ritz hotel was drunk behind the wheel of the car.
* ACCIDENTAL DEATH: This verdict would be delivered if the jury of
six men and five women feel that Diana and Dodi died because of Henri
Paul's driving, but believe that Henri Paul's actions were not bad
enough to be deemed to be grossly negligent.
* OPEN VERDICT: Such a verdict would be a
sensational result but, in reality, one which few expect to see. This
would come into play if the jury feel that other forces other than
negligent driving played a factor in the Paris crash. However, the
coroner has already advised the jury that they cannot and should not
return an open verdict for the sole reason of not being able to agree
on a verdict.
The jury will now deliberate their verdict betwen 10am and 4pm each day. It isn't known how long this process will take.
Comment: The Coroner has firmly told the Jury that they cannot choose a verdict of murder by persons unknown . So that takes all the hard work out of their decision .
They will probably choose exactly what the other two inquiries have chosen - it is easier to blame it all on a drunken (deceased) driver and this only offends his parents - who are not socially important after all
Name: Emily Elizabeth Windsor-Cragg
Comment: Oh my goodness. Talk about putting words in the jury members' mouths. Will you have peppermint or cocoa-flavored? comes to mind. The prosecutor couldn't have reduced it to more specifically-innocuous categories if he had planned it that way.
Whatever. I can't wait to hear this verdict. Joanne, I'm sure you're keeping on top of this one. : |
