US Network to Air Pictures of Dying Diana

[Kooperman]

6:49pm (UK)

US Network to Screen Pictures of Dying Diana

By Mark Sage, PA News in New York

Pictures of a dying Diana, Princess of Wales are due to be broadcast on television in the United States, it emerged today.

The photographs, never seen before, will show the stricken princess moments after the 1997 car crash in Paris, which led to her death hours later.

The pictures will be shown on the US network CBS, which said it had attained a copy of the confidential French investigation report into the crash.

The 48 Hours programme is be broadcast at 3am BST tomorrow.

CBS has obtained thousands of pages of confidential documents, including the forensic analysis and post-mortem examination of the driver Henri Paul and analysis of the car.

A programme spokeswoman said the show would also include images of Diana at the scene after the crash.

The programme will also look at persistent rumours that the Princess was pregnant when she died.

According to CBS, the report says Mr Paul was receiving money from an unknown source.

Diana’s former protection officer Ken Wharfe and Patrick Jephson, her chief of staff, are interviewed on the show.

They tell of the great lengths they went to to hide Diana’s marriage difficulties, and how she conducted extra marital affairs.

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2813043

[Redneck4sure]

I'll be sure to tune in!! NOT!!

[Bombardier]

Ugh! Quite a disturbing idea :angry:

There's no way in hell I'll be watching

These networks need to find better ways of getting ratings. This is just sick

[desdemona]

no way jose!

[Kooperman]

The hypocrisy involved here is incredible...what do you think is more damaging to kids or society in general: Saying the word "shit" in a broadcast or violating the privacy and dignity of a beloved member of royalty and her family by showing her life-taking injuries and her dying mumbles.

I have to believe that there'll be such a public backlash on this that they'll reconsider the wisdom of these pictures being aired. It would be wise to cancel these disturbing photos.

[Shawn]

I totally agree Koop, where is the FCC and their precious thought control on this?

[DudeAsInCool]

Disgusting :reallymad: :reallymad:

[Umma]

I should think the airing of this sort of programme will cause an uproar on this side of the pond too. Diana is still idolised among the British people and fondly remembered. It could cause a lot of bad feeling all round.

[Kooperman]

10 SECONDS THAT SHAKES ENGLAND: FURY AT CBS-TV AIRING OF DYING DIANA

Wed Apr 21 2004 21:18:28 ET

Friends of Princess Diana last night expressed disbelief after a picture of her dying in the wreck of her Mercedes was broadcast on TV, the UK DAILY MAIL splashes on Thursday.

The American network CBS showed the black and white image, taken by paparazzi moments after the car crashed in Paris.

On air for ten seconds, it clearly showed Diana's face, shoulders and upper torso as she lay dying.

Friends were distraught at the decision to show the picture, which they said would horrify Princes William and Harry. 'I am appalled, it is just beyond the pale,' said Vivienne Parry, a former trustee of the Diana Memorial Fund. 'This is something that should be absolutely private and there is no defence for deciding to show it.

'It is such a gross invasion of privacy. Here is a woman who is dying and you can do nothing about it - yet they replay that moment all over again.'

American fashion designer Lana Marks said the picture was 'the ultimate betrayal'.

She added: 'I can't believe they would do this. I am so shocked and hurt that they would air a picture of the princess's last minutes alive.

'I can't think of a more serious invasion of her privacy or anything that could be more terribly distressing for William and Harry.

'Their wellbeing was paramount to her and she would be devastated to think of what it will do to them to have a picture of their dying mother on television.'

The CBS programme, 48 Hours Investigates, showed the picture last night as part of a report entitled Diana's Secrets. It was accompanied by a voiceover from French doctor Frederick Maillez, who arrived at the crash scene at the Pont d'Alma tunnel and gave emergency first aid to the princess. He told viewers Diana's face was not injured and 'she still looked beauti ful' as he desperately tried to save her life.

CBS said the picture was one of several seized from French photographers which formed part of the official investigation into the crash in August 1997 in which Dodi Fayed and chauffeur Henri Paul also died.

'It is on air for about ten seconds,' said CBS spokesman Marcy Erhard. 'It is not gory in any way, shape or form. It is not graphic.'

Much of the hour-long programme was devoted to the 6,000-page French police report into the crash.

The Daily Mail revealed the report's details in January and they were also reported in a Channel 4 documentary the following month.

The princess's former bodyguard Ken Wharfe, who also appears on the programme, said he had no idea such a picture would be used.

'There are other ways of establishing the cause of Diana's death than showing pictures that even the paparazzi would not publish,' he added.

'I would have thought CBS would have done better than this. I was interviewed, but of course they didn't tell me they were planning to use this picture.'

Clarence House declined to comment on the broadcast last night.

A spokesman for Dodi's father Mohamed Al Fayed said the use of the image was distressing and dis-tasteful.

'All we know of is the stills which appeared in newspaper offices that night in Britain, which were not published by the editors,' he added. 'We have always believed that was the correct decision.'

Miss Parry said the picture should have remained unpublished as part of the investigation.

'The police see all sorts of such pictures, but they would never dream of imposing them on the families involved,' she added.

Miss Marks, a Florida-based fashion designer, accused American TV networks of 'oneupmanship' in their broadcasts about her friend.

She pointed to NBC's decision to broadcast earlier this year audiotapes of Diana talking about her marriage break-up.

'They are competing with each other to put out images which are more and more shocking,' she said.

'I thought it would be the European paparazzi out to make millions of dollars by selling a picture.

'I never expected it would be the media in my country that would do such a thing.'

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash2.htm

[Malicious Intent]

" beloved member of royalty and her family "

I doubt many members of the royal family would agree with that!

[Malicious Intent]

"Princes William and Harry"

I'm all for invading their privacy, (they have the ultimate life at, at a cost), but this is too far.

I remember them walking formally along behind their mums coffin, with millions and millions of people watching.

[Kooperman]

I've lost almost all of my immediate family, some to auto accidents....I would never be able to stand seeing their dying agony....it would haunt me for the rest of my life.

[Redneck4sure]

I don't want to see anyone's dying agony. :angry: