Moderators: Elvis, DrVolin, Jeff
Fayed challenges judge's decision to hold Diana hearings in private
By Joshua Rozenberg, Legal Editor
Last Updated: 1:52am GMT 01/12/2006
Secret inquest hearings into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales are planned for next month, it emerged last night.
Before that, Lord Stevens will release the findings of a three-year police investigation into the case. His report, due to be published on Dec 14, is widely expected to conclude that the car crash that killed the princess was an accident.
Lady Butler-Sloss, the retired senior judge who will sit as the coroner, wants to hold preliminary hearings on Jan 8 and 9 without the press or public present. But her decision is to be challenged in the High Court by Mohamed Fayed, whose son, Dodi, died with the princess in 1997.
The Egyptian businessman again claimed yesterday that the princess and her companion were murdered in a secret plot by the Royal Family. He alleged that Lady Butler-Sloss, who has been appointed Deputy Coroner of the Queen's Household in order to preside over the inquest, had "taken her first step towards ensuring that the cover-up continues".
Accusing her of taking part in an "Establishment plot", he maintained that her decision to hold the preliminary hearing in private was an attempt to stifle public debate.
"I have tirelessly fought for truth and justice against an army of dark forces who do not want the truth to become public," Mr Fayed said. "I simply ask for honesty, fairness and openness."
Lady Butler-Sloss, who received a peerage on retiring as president of the High Court Family Division, was appointed to hold the inquests into the deaths of the princess and Dodi Fayed after the full-time coroner, Michael Burgess, said the cases would be "too time-consuming" for him to handle. At a preliminary hearing, the coroner would normally set a timetable and decide who should be legally represented at the hearing.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that Lady Butler-Sloss had invited lawyers for the Royal Household to attend.
A more important decision to be taken by Lady Butler-Sloss at the preliminary hearing is whether to sit with a jury. If so, it would consist of Officers of the Queen's Household rather than members of the general public.
Mr Fayed objected. "A jury of 12 ordinary people should hear all the facts and make up their own minds," he said.
In fact, coroners' juries must consist of seven to 11 members.
The Harrods owner said he was seeking judicial review to "compel" the deputy coroner to sit in public next month "so that Britain and the world at large may judge for themselves".
Section 17 of the Coroners Rules requires inquests to take place in public unless it would be in the interests of national security for the public to be excluded. But the Department for Constitutional Affairs said there was "no statutory requirement for pre-inquest hearings to be held in public."
The problem facing Lady Butler-Sloss is that the inquest into the princess's death was opened and adjourned by Mr Burgess in January 2004. If next month's proceedings are to be regarded as a continuation of that inquest, it would follow that they should be held in public.
Mr Fayed is seeking judicial review of the deputy coroner's decision to sit in private next month.
One problem Mr Fayed faces is that the High Court decided in 2001 that he was not an "interested party" in the princess's inquest and not entitled to take part in it.
The princess, 36, and Dodi Fayed, 42, were killed with their chauffeur, Henri Paul, when their Mercedes crashed in the Pont d'Alma tunnel in Paris on Aug 31, 1997. They had been followed by paparazzi photographers after leaving the Ritz Hotel for Mr Fayed's apartment.
A two-year investigation in France blamed Mr Paul for losing control of the car because he was intoxicated and driving too fast.
That conclusion is likely to be endorsed by Lord Stevens, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner who was asked by Mr Burgess to investigate the case. His inquiry, estimated to have cost £4 million, is said to bring together some 20,000 documents and 1,500 witness statements.
But Mr Fayed complained that the report had been kept from him. Lord Stevens had also failed to see or take statements from more than 13 witnesses, he believed.
Mr Fayed's spokesman said he was convinced that the Stevens inquiry was being closed down prematurely by the Government with vital questions unexplored or unanswered because the Government wanted the process out of the way before Tony Blair's departure from Downing Street.
You do swear by Almighty God to be a true and faithful Servant unto The Queen's Majesty as one of Her Majesty's Privy Council. You will not know or understand of any manner of thing to be attempted, done or spoken against Her Majesty's Person, Honour, Crown or Dignity Royal, but you will lett and withstand the same to the uttermost of your power, and either cause it to be revealed to Her Majesty Herself, or to such of Her Privy Council as shall advertise Her Majesty of the same. You will in all things to be moved, treated and debated in Council, faithfully and truly declare your Mind and Opinion, according to your Heart and Conscience; and will keep secret all matters committed and revealed unto you, or that shall be treated of secretly in Council. And if any of the said Treaties or Counsels shall touch any of the Counsellors you will not reveal it unto him but will keep the same until such time as, by the consent of Her Majesty or of the Council, Publication shall be made thereof. You will to your uttermost bear Faith and Allegiance to the Queen's Majesty; and will assist and defend all Jurisdictions, Pre-eminences, and Authorities, granted to Her Majesty and annexed to the Crown by Acts of Parliament, or otherwise, against all Foreign Princes, Persons, Prelates, States, or Potentates. And generally in all things you will do as a faithful and true Servant ought to do to Her Majesty. So help you God.
antiaristo wrote:Fayed challenges judge's decision to hold Diana hearings in private
By Joshua Rozenberg, Legal Editor
Last Updated: 1:52am GMT 01/12/2006
Secret inquest hearings into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales are planned for next month, it emerged last night.
Before that, Lord Stevens will release the findings of a three-year police investigation into the case. His report, due to be published on Dec 14, is widely expected to conclude that the car crash that killed the princess was an accident.
Lady Butler-Sloss, the retired senior judge who will sit as the coroner, wants to hold preliminary hearings on Jan 8 and 9 without the press or public present. But her decision is to be challenged in the High Court by Mohamed Fayed, whose son, Dodi, died with the princess in 1997.
The Egyptian businessman again claimed yesterday that the princess and her companion were murdered in a secret plot by the Royal Family. He alleged that Lady Butler-Sloss, who has been appointed Deputy Coroner of the Queen's Household in order to preside over the inquest, had "taken her first step towards ensuring that the cover-up continues".
Accusing her of taking part in an "Establishment plot", he maintained that her decision to hold the preliminary hearing in private was an attempt to stifle public debate.
"I have tirelessly fought for truth and justice against an army of dark forces who do not want the truth to become public," Mr Fayed said. "I simply ask for honesty, fairness and openness."
Lady Butler-Sloss, who received a peerage on retiring as president of the High Court Family Division, was appointed to hold the inquests into the deaths of the princess and Dodi Fayed after the full-time coroner, Michael Burgess, said the cases would be "too time-consuming" for him to handle. At a preliminary hearing, the coroner would normally set a timetable and decide who should be legally represented at the hearing.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that Lady Butler-Sloss had invited lawyers for the Royal Household to attend.
A more important decision to be taken by Lady Butler-Sloss at the preliminary hearing is whether to sit with a jury. If so, it would consist of Officers of the Queen's Household rather than members of the general public.
Mr Fayed objected. "A jury of 12 ordinary people should hear all the facts and make up their own minds," he said.
In fact, coroners' juries must consist of seven to 11 members.
The Harrods owner said he was seeking judicial review to "compel" the deputy coroner to sit in public next month "so that Britain and the world at large may judge for themselves".
Section 17 of the Coroners Rules requires inquests to take place in public unless it would be in the interests of national security for the public to be excluded. But the Department for Constitutional Affairs said there was "no statutory requirement for pre-inquest hearings to be held in public."
The problem facing Lady Butler-Sloss is that the inquest into the princess's death was opened and adjourned by Mr Burgess in January 2004. If next month's proceedings are to be regarded as a continuation of that inquest, it would follow that they should be held in public.
Mr Fayed is seeking judicial review of the deputy coroner's decision to sit in private next month.
One problem Mr Fayed faces is that the High Court decided in 2001 that he was not an "interested party" in the princess's inquest and not entitled to take part in it.
The princess, 36, and Dodi Fayed, 42, were killed with their chauffeur, Henri Paul, when their Mercedes crashed in the Pont d'Alma tunnel in Paris on Aug 31, 1997. They had been followed by paparazzi photographers after leaving the Ritz Hotel for Mr Fayed's apartment.
A two-year investigation in France blamed Mr Paul for losing control of the car because he was intoxicated and driving too fast.
That conclusion is likely to be endorsed by Lord Stevens, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner who was asked by Mr Burgess to investigate the case. His inquiry, estimated to have cost £4 million, is said to bring together some 20,000 documents and 1,500 witness statements.
But Mr Fayed complained that the report had been kept from him. Lord Stevens had also failed to see or take statements from more than 13 witnesses, he believed.
Mr Fayed's spokesman said he was convinced that the Stevens inquiry was being closed down prematurely by the Government with vital questions unexplored or unanswered because the Government wanted the process out of the way before Tony Blair's departure from Downing Street.
Even posthumously, Diana can cause the Windsors at least as much trouble as she did while alive. Why else would the Royals, including her own sons, be so anxious to silence Burrell to the tune, according to the Mail on Sunday, of £5 million?
The "smoking gun" worth so much money is the tape Diana kept inside an antique box with her other most prized possessions, James Hewitt’s signet ring and a bundle of her father-in-law’s letters. The empty box, known as the "Crown Jewels", has now been returned to the Spencer family. The signet ring has been returned to Hewitt. Burrell has denied knowing the whereabouts of the tape. But he said the same about Prince Philip’s letters, choice extracts from which he has now made public.
So what is on that tape? Diana’s recording of her interview with a former Royal valet, George Smith, the victim of an alleged gay rape by another Royal servant. Mr Smith was subsequently paid off by Prince Charles to the tune of three times his annual salary, as confirmed in the recent report by his private secretary, Sir Michael Peat.
In one bland sentence, Sir Michael dismissed the widespread belief that this was hush money, though he did confirm the prince as saying he wished Mr Smith could somehow be "made to go away".
On the tape, Mr Smith reportedly gives chapter and verse on another allegation already in the public domain: that he had witnessed a Royal in a compromising act with a member of staff. Those in the know about Mr Smith’s allegations, myself included, believe the monarchy could not survive their publication.
They cannot be printed, for obvious legal reasons, unless Mr Smith himself chooses to make them public. Or someone publishes the tape.
mourningdove
Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 25
Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:28 pm Post subject: Royal Servant George Smith Dies at 44
newsday.com-AP
Quote:
LONDON -- George Smith, a former royal servant whose claim of rape sparked lurid tales of sexual misdeeds within the royal household, has died at the age of 44, his father said Friday.
antiaristo wrote:Even posthumously, Diana can cause the Windsors at least as much trouble as she did while alive. Why else would the Royals, including her own sons, be so anxious to silence Burrell to the tune, according to the Mail on Sunday, of £5 million? ...
...In one bland sentence, Sir Michael dismissed the widespread belief that this was hush money, though he did confirm the prince as saying he wished Mr Smith could somehow be "made to go away".
On the tape, Mr Smith reportedly gives chapter and verse on another allegation already in the public domain: that he had witnessed a Royal in a compromising act with a member of staff. Those in the know about Mr Smith’s allegations, myself included, believe the monarchy could not survive their publication.
They cannot be printed, for obvious legal reasons, unless Mr Smith himself chooses to make them public. Or someone publishes the tape.
'Smithgate' Royal Rape Tape Could Bring Down The Monarchy
Anthony Holden – The Scotsman Oct. 28, 2003
http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/print.asp?ID=1193mourningdove
Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 25
Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:28 pm Post subject: Royal Servant George Smith Dies at 44
newsday.com-AP
Quote:
LONDON -- George Smith, a former royal servant whose claim of rape sparked lurid tales of sexual misdeeds within the royal household, has died at the age of 44, his father said Friday.
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board/v ... ight=royal
Anti, as with 911, 2000 and 2004 US Prez election thefts, Iran-Contra, Mena, JFK, RFK, MLK, Abu Graihb, etc., there's a Plan A (the initial frame-up/official cover story), and Plan B (usually disinfo in those involved in uncovering Plan A), and Plan C, D, E and F, which are fall backs to be used when each succeeding plan fails.
Dead you say? Smith is dead.
Do you suppose that Putin's knowledge of the various murders and related scandals and cover-ups by, of and among the British royals has anything to do with his sense of impugnity in the recent poisioning (with radioactive material no less) of Mr. Litvinenko on British soil?
Or perhaps it's the British admin's involvement in the earlier murder of Mr. Kelley?
Well, you see where this sort of thing leads, now. Right? Just a lot of dead bodies around which another cover-up must be constructed and inquests must be obstructed or cooked.
"This particular phase of my life is the most dangerous - my husband is planning 'an accident' in my car, brake failure & serious head injury in order to make the path clear for him to marry."
I am not questioning the wording of the act, but can't understand why the law would not be interpreted as queen means reigning monarch?
what cases have been brought under this act, under which monarchs?
I meant that its difficult to see why, if as you say, he TFA can only be used in offenses against a queen, this has not been flagged up by for example the guardian's legal dept.
Parenthetically, I was wondering if Putin's knowledge of royals and Blair's involvement in Dianna's and Kelley's deaths has given him a license to operate his own death squads in England with impugnity. Seems like an unexpected form of blow-back.
Meanwhile Blair intends to breach the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
For all his millions, and all his efforts, Al-Fayed could not get a British passport.
Because ever since the battle for House of Fraser (Harrods), he and the Windsors have been enemies.
I don't believe Putin is guilty.
I can make a much stronger case that the criminals are to be found in London.
And that they have strong motives to frame the Russian President.
PS. This post will probably get my internet connection booted, but to be honest Im beyond caring
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 157 guests