10-15-2007, 11:56 PM
Witnesses won't give evidence
October 08, 2007 12:24pm
TWO key witnesses to the events leading up to the death of Princess Diana will not give evidence to the inquest, dealing a blow to the inquest trumpeted as settling once for all how and why she died.
As the inquest moves to Paris today, Jacques Langevin, a paparazzo photographer who took the last picture of Diana outside the Paris Ritz, has apparently reversed an earlier decision to appear as a witness.
He is joined on the sidelines by French taxi driver Le Van Thanh, who many believe was the driver of the Fiat Uno that collided with Diana's car in the Pont d'Alma tunnel.
Le Van Thanh, 32, has refused repeated requests from coroner Lord Justice Scott-Baker to attend the inquest.
The loss of both men is a huge setback to the investigation. Their evidence could have quashed the many conspiracy theories, including the claim that Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed were executed by MI6.
Last week the jury was shown CCTV footage of Dodi's driver Henri Paul waving at Langevin as he walked around to the back of the Paris Ritz. Moments later Langevin slipped around to the rear of the hotel, and took the picture of Diana through the front of the car windscreen, just before they set off.
Had it been established that Paul was in the pay of the paparazzi it might have ruled out claims that he was bribed by the secret services. The assistant head of Ritz security had $1200 in his pocket that night and $170,000 in his bank account.
Langevin, 54, will now not be telling the inquest what the truth is, according to his friends. Fabrice Chassery, another paparazzo who has also declined to give evidence, said his colleague changed his mind about being a witness after the coroner released the picture he took. It was shown to the jury on Tuesday then handed to the media.
Mr Chassery said: "It is Jacques' photograph. I was standing next to him when he took it. Nobody asked him if they could use his picture. He is very upset. He never wanted this picture to be published."
The inquest moves to Paris today and the 11 jurors will visit key sites including the Ritz Hotel and the crash scene in the tunnel
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,225...55,00.html
I wonder what they were threatened with?
For the first time today on our free to air NEWS channels they made mention that witnesess saw a blindingly bright white flash of light near Diana'a car before the accident occurred... they even used the term "Diana's Murder Inquest".
October 08, 2007 12:24pm
TWO key witnesses to the events leading up to the death of Princess Diana will not give evidence to the inquest, dealing a blow to the inquest trumpeted as settling once for all how and why she died.
As the inquest moves to Paris today, Jacques Langevin, a paparazzo photographer who took the last picture of Diana outside the Paris Ritz, has apparently reversed an earlier decision to appear as a witness.
He is joined on the sidelines by French taxi driver Le Van Thanh, who many believe was the driver of the Fiat Uno that collided with Diana's car in the Pont d'Alma tunnel.
Le Van Thanh, 32, has refused repeated requests from coroner Lord Justice Scott-Baker to attend the inquest.
The loss of both men is a huge setback to the investigation. Their evidence could have quashed the many conspiracy theories, including the claim that Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed were executed by MI6.
Last week the jury was shown CCTV footage of Dodi's driver Henri Paul waving at Langevin as he walked around to the back of the Paris Ritz. Moments later Langevin slipped around to the rear of the hotel, and took the picture of Diana through the front of the car windscreen, just before they set off.
Had it been established that Paul was in the pay of the paparazzi it might have ruled out claims that he was bribed by the secret services. The assistant head of Ritz security had $1200 in his pocket that night and $170,000 in his bank account.
Langevin, 54, will now not be telling the inquest what the truth is, according to his friends. Fabrice Chassery, another paparazzo who has also declined to give evidence, said his colleague changed his mind about being a witness after the coroner released the picture he took. It was shown to the jury on Tuesday then handed to the media.
Mr Chassery said: "It is Jacques' photograph. I was standing next to him when he took it. Nobody asked him if they could use his picture. He is very upset. He never wanted this picture to be published."
The inquest moves to Paris today and the 11 jurors will visit key sites including the Ritz Hotel and the crash scene in the tunnel
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,225...55,00.html
I wonder what they were threatened with?
For the first time today on our free to air NEWS channels they made mention that witnesess saw a blindingly bright white flash of light near Diana'a car before the accident occurred... they even used the term "Diana's Murder Inquest".