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Tourist cashed in on Diana crash | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
An American tourist told how he and a friend made thousands of dollars from photographs they took of Princess Diana's fatal car crash. | |
Michael Walker and Clarence Williams were driving through Paris when they came upon the wreckage in a tunnel. | |
Their pictures appeared in at least one newspaper and the pair earned "$6,000 to $7,000". | |
The inquest into Diana's death also heard the first doctor on the crash scene thought she would survive. | |
Cannabis | |
The two Americans had been taking a taxi ride after buying some cannabis when their driver spotted the crashed car with its front door open. | |
Mr Walker took several shots - but he only found out that the princess had been one of the passengers when he saw the story later on CNN. | |
Read the transcript of Dr Frederic Mailliez's 999 call | |
He called CNN but they were not interested in buying his photographs as they "would have preferred video", the inquest was told in Mr Walker's statement given to the Metropolitan Police. | |
Mr Walker said he "co-operated" with the English press, who copied the photographs. | |
He decided that he was going to charge "$1,000 per interview" and there was also a "$1,000-a-time" price tag for copies of his photographs - one of which he later spotted in the National Inquirer. | |
Mr Walker told police that he earned $1,000 from an interview with CBS and 4,000 Francs from France 2. | |
In his statement, Mr Walker said: "I think I made $6,000 to 7,000 in all that I split with Clarence." | |
Moaning | |
Earlier, the first doctor on the scene of the crash told the inquest thought she would survive. | |
Dr Frederic Mailliez was driving through the Pont de l'Alma tunnel when he saw the Princess's crashed car in the opposite carriageway. | |
He ran across the road to see if he could help anyone. | He ran across the road to see if he could help anyone. |
I just remember a few drops of blood but I would not say a serious injury Dr Frederic Mailliez | |
"She was alive. She was moaning, she was breathing but she was really weak," he said via video link from Paris. | "She was alive. She was moaning, she was breathing but she was really weak," he said via video link from Paris. |
He said: "I remember the horn making a noise and I remember the front of the car was damaged, the engine almost cut in two parts, that showed me that it was a high-energy accident." | He said: "I remember the horn making a noise and I remember the front of the car was damaged, the engine almost cut in two parts, that showed me that it was a high-energy accident." |
Driver Henri Paul and Dodi Al Fayed were already dead when he looked into the car, he said. | Driver Henri Paul and Dodi Al Fayed were already dead when he looked into the car, he said. |
He could see that bodyguard Trevor Rees was alive but very seriously injured in the front passenger seat. | He could see that bodyguard Trevor Rees was alive but very seriously injured in the front passenger seat. |
He only found out that the woman in the back seat was Princess Diana when he saw the news the day after the crash on 31 August 1997. | He only found out that the woman in the back seat was Princess Diana when he saw the news the day after the crash on 31 August 1997. |
Initial assessment | Initial assessment |
The Princess had no obvious head injury, the doctor said. | The Princess had no obvious head injury, the doctor said. |
"I do not remember any injury on her forehead. | "I do not remember any injury on her forehead. |
"I just remember a few drops of blood but I would not say a serious injury." | "I just remember a few drops of blood but I would not say a serious injury." |
Dr Mailliez called the emergency dispatch centre as he had worked as an emergency doctor for the fire brigade. | Dr Mailliez called the emergency dispatch centre as he had worked as an emergency doctor for the fire brigade. |
He gave an initial medical assessment and handed over to a medical team when the first ambulance arrived. | He gave an initial medical assessment and handed over to a medical team when the first ambulance arrived. |
Richard Keen QC, representing the family of Henri Paul, asked him: "Do you remember saying that you thought the lady you had treated would survive?" | Richard Keen QC, representing the family of Henri Paul, asked him: "Do you remember saying that you thought the lady you had treated would survive?" |
He answered: "Yes, I said that." | He answered: "Yes, I said that." |
He could not judge the extent of the Princess's internal injuries, he said. | |
"I did not have any way to make any precise diagnosis," he said. | "I did not have any way to make any precise diagnosis," he said. |
"I did not have the equipment to take the blood pressure so my supposition of diagnosis was the head injury but I had to suspect something serious." | "I did not have the equipment to take the blood pressure so my supposition of diagnosis was the head injury but I had to suspect something serious." |
The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |