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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Diana and Dodi inquest under way | Diana and Dodi inquest under way |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The inquest into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Al Fayed has begun at London's High Court. | The inquest into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Al Fayed has begun at London's High Court. |
| A jury of six women and five men has been selected for the hearing, which could last six months. They were chosen by ballot from a shortlist of 25. | A jury of six women and five men has been selected for the hearing, which could last six months. They were chosen by ballot from a shortlist of 25. |
| Throughout the case, jurors will be escorted to and from court by police. | Throughout the case, jurors will be escorted to and from court by police. |
| The princess and Mr Al Fayed died in a car crash in the Pont d'Alma tunnel, in Paris, on 31 August 1997. | The princess and Mr Al Fayed died in a car crash in the Pont d'Alma tunnel, in Paris, on 31 August 1997. |
| Untarnished truth | Untarnished truth |
| Arriving at the High Court, Dodi's father, Mohamed Al Fayed, said he wanted justice for his dead son. | Arriving at the High Court, Dodi's father, Mohamed Al Fayed, said he wanted justice for his dead son. |
| "I'm hoping for justice, I'm a father who lost his son. I have been fighting for 10 years, at last I want to have justice." | "I'm hoping for justice, I'm a father who lost his son. I have been fighting for 10 years, at last I want to have justice." |
| The Harrods boss added that he remained convinced that the princess and his son were "murdered". | The Harrods boss added that he remained convinced that the princess and his son were "murdered". |
| Speaking earlier, a spokesman for Mr Al Fayed called for members of the Royal Family to give evidence at the hearing. | Speaking earlier, a spokesman for Mr Al Fayed called for members of the Royal Family to give evidence at the hearing. |
| We shall investigate matters some of which may very well turn out to be irrelevant to the cause of the deaths because one of the purposes of an inquest is to allay speculation and rumour Coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker Jurors face daunting task | |
| Michael Cole told GMTV this was the "last best chance to get at the plain untarnished truth". | Michael Cole told GMTV this was the "last best chance to get at the plain untarnished truth". |
| "At stages in her life the only person Diana could talk to in confidence in the Royal Family was the Queen," he said. | "At stages in her life the only person Diana could talk to in confidence in the Royal Family was the Queen," he said. |
| "She has an unrivalled knowledge of the princess' state of mind." | "She has an unrivalled knowledge of the princess' state of mind." |
| The inquest hearing began on the day the European Court of Human Rights dismissed a complaint brought by Mr Al Fayed against the French authorities over their investigation into the crash. | |
| He had accused them of not fully following up relevant leads. But judges ruled any refusals Mr Al Fayed had met with "did not, as such, call into question the effectiveness of the investigations, as a whole". | |
| 'Unique nature' | |
| Last Thursday, some 227 candidates for jury service were summoned by letter to London's Royal Courts of Justice, but only 80 turned up. | Last Thursday, some 227 candidates for jury service were summoned by letter to London's Royal Courts of Justice, but only 80 turned up. |
| The 80 were handed a list of 10 questions ordering them to reveal any connections to the Royal Family, Mohamed Al Fayed, or the security services. | The 80 were handed a list of 10 questions ordering them to reveal any connections to the Royal Family, Mohamed Al Fayed, or the security services. |
| Mr Al Fayed wants members of the Royal Family to give evidence | |
| The final panel of 11 jurors was selected on Tuesday by ballot from a potential 25 and their names were read out by a court official. | The final panel of 11 jurors was selected on Tuesday by ballot from a potential 25 and their names were read out by a court official. |
| Coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker told the jurors that their role was to decide four questions: who died, when they died, where they died and how they died. | Coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker told the jurors that their role was to decide four questions: who died, when they died, where they died and how they died. |
| He said the fourth question - effectively the verdict - was wider. | He said the fourth question - effectively the verdict - was wider. |
| He said: "Because of the unique nature of this case we shall explore that question a great deal more widely than would ordinarily be the case. | He said: "Because of the unique nature of this case we shall explore that question a great deal more widely than would ordinarily be the case. |
| "We shall investigate matters some of which may very well turn out to be irrelevant to the cause of the deaths because one of the purposes of an inquest is to allay speculation and rumour." | "We shall investigate matters some of which may very well turn out to be irrelevant to the cause of the deaths because one of the purposes of an inquest is to allay speculation and rumour." |
| In the second week of the hearing, the jury will be flown to Paris to retrace Diana's final journey. | In the second week of the hearing, the jury will be flown to Paris to retrace Diana's final journey. |