MONDAY's combined manslaughter verdict for some represents a rejection of conspiracy theories that surfaced soon after Diana's death on August 31, 1997. This came after an 11-member jury listened to some 278 witnesses across the world during the 93-day inquest. The jury claimed compelling evidence that the driver of the hired Mercedes, Henri Paul, was drunk and driving at twice the speed limit when he crashed. The jury also blamed the paparazzi chasing the couple. Mohammad Al-Fayed, father of Diana's friend Dodi, spent over 10 years accusing Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh and MI6 of murdering them. Al-Fayed claims that they were killed because the establishment did not want the future king Prince William to have a Muslim father. Leaving the court after the jury returned verdicts of unlawful killing, the distraught father remarked: “The most important thing in it is murder.” Reacting to the decision Dodi's mother, Katherine Witty disclosed: “Diana predicted she would be murdered, and how it would happen, so I am disappointed.” Dodi's mother believed the French and the Scotland Yard investigations were wrong. However, unimportant as they may have appeared to the jury, some questions still remain unanswered. Who were the people driving the other vehicles and what were they doing in Paris? The investigators agree that the Mercedes struck a glancing blow with the rear of a white Fiat. Did the driver swerve and lose control? Witnesses claim to have seen the car but it was never found. The conduct of the driver Henri Paul, an employee of Al-Fayed, appeared far from normal. Tests carried on Henri soon after the accident found between 174-187 mg of alcohol for every 100 ml of blood in his system. The prescribed limit in France is 50mg/100ml. Was Diana pregnant at the time of her death? The claim was refuted by the British pathologist who conducted the post-mortem on the princess. But he added that it was difficult to detect a pregnancy in the first three weeks of conception. Did Diana fear for her life? Diana's former lawyer late Lord Mischon, thinks yes. In a note dated October 31, 1995, he said Diana had told him that efforts would be made to sideline her by engineering a car accident. While Prince William and Harry hope that the verdict will put an end to claims that their mother was murdered, however, Diana's outlandish lifestyle contributes to theories that the case is far from closed. __
