American actor Richard Gere waves to fans and photographers while riding on a car next to an unidentified woman, upon his arrival in Punta Arenas. Taking such pictures without his permission would probably not be possible in France where car interior is considered private even when driving on a public road. PHOTO - REUTERS
PARIS Reuters - Three photographers who took pictures of Britain‘s Princess Diana and her friend Dodi al Fayed in their car just before their fatal 1997 crash will stand trial in France for invasion of privacy, judicial sources said. Jacques Langevin of Sygma agency, Christian Martinez of the Angeli agency and freelancer Fabrice Chassery will face trial early next year following a complaint lodged by Mohamed al Fayed, Dodi‘s father.
Diana, al Fayed and driver Henri Paul were killed in a high-speed crash on August 31, 1997, as their Mercedes was pursued by paparazzi on motorbikes through central Paris. Egyptian tycoon Mohamed al Fayed, who owns London‘s famous Harrods store, lost his bid to have the photographers chasing the car tried for manslaughter when France‘s highest court ruled in April they were too far away to have caused the accident. Evidence at the initial inquiry showed that Henri Paul was drunk at the time of the accident, something that has been refuted by his parents.
The trial for invasion of privacy will hang on a recently established precedent in French law under which the interior of a car is deemed private even if it is on a public road. Similar charges against five other photographers have already been dropped.
Reuters
