Paparazzi face trial over role in Diana crash

Three photographers who took pictures of Britain's Princess Diana and her lover Dodi Al Fayed just before their fatal 1997 crash…

Three photographers who took pictures of Britain's Princess Diana and her lover Dodi Al Fayed just before their fatal 1997 crash are to stand trial in France for invasion of privacy, a legal source has said.

The photographers will only be tried in relation to pictures they took of Dodi Al Fayed, since Diana's family is not pressing charges, the sources said.

The three men were among a group of photographers who pursued Diana and Dodi on motorbikes after they left the Ritz hotel in Paris on the night of August 30th, 1997.

Diana, Dodi Al Fayed and driver Henri Paul were killed in a high-speed crash, as their Mercedes sped through central Paris.

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Investigating judge Mr Jean-Louis Peries has dropped charges against five other photographers who were placed under investigation last year for their role in the tragedy, the same source said.

Dodi's father, Egyptian tycoon Mr Mohamed Al Fayed, lost his bid to have the photographers convicted for causing the crash when France highest appeal court acquitted nine photographers and a motorcyclist of manslaughter last April.

The court ruled that the accident was caused by the car's excessive speed and the driver's drunken state. None of the pictures taken by the accused photographers have ever been published.

AFP