'Grossly Negligent' Driving Led to Diana's Death: Jury

Six-month inquest blames chauffeur, paparazzi, not conspiracy
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 7, 2008 10:49 AM CDT
'Grossly Negligent' Driving Led to Diana's Death: Jury
The head of Diana Princess of Wales, in the rear seat, her bodyguard, and driver Henri Paul are seen shortly before the car crash that killed Diana, Dodi Fayed and the driver in Paris, Aug. 31, 1997.   (AP Photo/H.M. Coroner, HO)

Princess Diana was killed by the “grossly negligent” driving of an inebriated Henri Paul and the paparazzi following the car, the inquest jury declared today, ruling the 1997 crash an “unlawful killing.” The jury added that not wearing seat belts had contributed to Diana and Dodi Fayed’s fates. Dodi's father, Mohamed Fayed, stormed out of court, disgusted his conspiracy theory had been rejected.

Fayed has spent years blaming the British government for his son’s death. But while the verdict was the harshest the jury could dole out, and a noticeable step up from 2006’s “tragic accident” ruling, it makes no mention of a conspiracy, the Daily Mail reports. The jury reached a decision just an hour after the judge said he would accept a majority ruling rather than a unanimous one in the $12 million inquest. (More Diana inquest stories.)

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