DIANA PRINCESS OF WALES - PUBLIC JURY TO RULE ON DIANA INQUEST

PUBLIC JURY TO RULE ON DIANA INQUEST

A judge yesterday (08JAN07) ruled that a jury comprising members of the public should decide whether DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES was murdered or died in a car accident. Judge BARONESS ELIZABETH BUTLER-SLOSS decided in London's High Court at a hearing that a jury should be used at the inquest into the British royal's 1997 death as it would be "inappropriate" for royal staff to hear the case. The inquest is likely to start in May (07) and run concurrently with that of Diana's lover DODI FAYED's. The decision to use a public jury breaks with tradition, and comes after the court heard separate requests from both QUEEN ELIZABETH II and MOHAMMAD AL FAYED, Dodi's father, to not use a royal jury. Diana and Dodi died alongside driver HENRI PAUL in a high-speed car crash in Paris, France in August 1997.