Photographers face Diana crash trial
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A French judge has ordered three photographers to face trial over pictures they took of the 1997 car crash that killed Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Fayed. The trial, for invasion of privacy, follows a long campaign by Mohamed Al Fayed against decisions by the French courts to clear the photographers of responsibility for the crash.
They are alleged to have taken photographs of the dead and dying in the wreckage of the crashed Mercedes, as well as having caused an infringement of privacy earlier by taking pictures of Diana and Dodi in the car as it left the Ritz hotel. Judge Bruno Peries dismissed the case against five other photographers who took pictures at the scene. He named Jacques Langevin of the Sygma/Corbis agency, Christian Martinez of the Angelis agency and Eric Chassery. a freelance, as having taken pictures deemed unacceptable.
The trial is not likely to start until next year but is expected to trigger a bitter battle over press freedom, particularly in the case of M. Langevin, who arrived 15 minutes after the crash and was not part of the pursuing group.
No photograph of the last minutes of the couple has been published, and no photographer has been successfully prosecuted in France for taking a picture that was not published.
Diana, Dodi Fayed, and their chauffeur, Henri Paul, died in the high-speed crash in 1997.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments