Paparazzi Cleared in Diana Crash

Almost two years after the crash that killed Diana, Princess of Wales, photographers who were following her car that night have apparently been cleared of any liability.

France's state prosecutor is reported to have recommended dismissing charges against nine photographers and a motorcyclist originally implicated in the car crash because there was insufficient evidence to pursue the charges. All of them had been placed under formal investigation for manslaughter and failing to aid people in danger.

Diana, her companion Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul, died when their Mercedes crashed in a traffic tunnel on August 31, 1997. Only Diana's bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, survived.

Who's to Blame?

The photographers, who had been following the car to try and obtain pictures of Diana and Dodi, are cleared of any charges in the case and the French investigators have dismissed the many conspiracy theories advanced by Dodi's father, Mohamed al-Fayed, and others, that leaves only driver Henri Paul and bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones as principles in the investigation.

Paul was a employee of the Ritz Hotel owned by Mohamed al-Fayed, was three times over the blood alcohol count legal limit at the time of the crash. If Paul is found to be solely responsible for the death of Diana, the liability facing the Ritz Hotel could be staggering. In the French courts criminal and civil actions are handled simultaneously.

It also means that one of the most sensational and tragic car crashes of the century was simply caused by a drunk driver.

Unjustly Accused?

French Judge Herve Stephan, who is investigating the accident, handed the case over to the state prosecutor earlier this summer for a recommendation on whether to bring charges. He is not obliged to carry out the decision, however.

A spokesman for Dodi's father, Mohamed al-Fayed, the millionaire owner of Harrods, declined to comment, the Associated Press reported.

Goksin Sipahioglu, president of the Sipa Press agency -- which had a photographer involved in the case - said they had been "unjustly accused". "We are happy now. They had nothing to do with the accident," he said.

Gamma and Sygma, two of the other Paris photo agencies who had photographers involved, refused to comment.