Part of the police case against the paparazzi is that once they arrived at the scene of the accident, they (the paparazzi) failed to assist an injured person. Yet nearly all the photographers are claiming they were several hundred yards behind the Mercedes and that they arrived after the first doctor was already on the scene, an off-duty doctor who had been driving by named Frederic Mailliez.

An email communiqué sent to an Internet discussion group by someone claiming to be of the photographers who was following the Mercedes the night of August 31 says that he has not only fled the crash site but also the country, apparently because after he took several pictures of the wreckage and the victims, a very alive Diana spoke some extremely chilling words to him.

Using an acknowledged alias and routing his letter through an intermediary for his protection, "Mr. Merceilles" declares (mistakes uncorrected), "I am one of photographer who followed Diana and her companion Dodi Al-fayed until their death in a car-crash.

(Paris tunnel -- 31 august 1997) I was lucky at that time, while the accident took place, I am 60 metres from the spot. When I heard a very loud sound came from the tunnel, I jumped from one of my friend's bike (who is now detained) to inspect the scene. I could see a hand of someone waving at us to seek some help. With a terrible shock, I found that was the hand of princess.

"I could not see her face clearly, as a warm blood streaming all over her face. She still alive and crying painfully. With "discourage feeling", I forced myself to take some picture of her -- (the pictures and negative are with me now and I am not intend to sell it for profit). >From the distance, I could see people already gathering to see what was happening there. I do not understand the world, for accusing us (photographers) for Diana and Dodi death. As a matter of fact, It looks like all people of the world pointing at us as we are the greatest criminal of a crime that we did not responsible. I still remember the words came from Diana's throat before she died. "Help... someone outside plan to kill us".

A spokesperson for the Fayeds and the Ritz said that although Dodi had been "examined" by a pathologist in Britain before he was buried, this had not been a full post-mortem examination, and that no blood samples were taken.

Lawyers for the photographers have questioned such procedures. "The behaviour of passengers in the investigation of a car accident is very important," said one. Another said he would very much like to know how much, if anything, Dodi had drunk that evening and whether he would have been lucid.

Of course absolutely no post-mortem of any kind, which could precisely indicate the direct cause of death, was done on the body of Princess Diana.

Paris police have said that after the accident occurred the ambulance took nearly half an hour to get to the scene. Also the police have confirmed that they were escorting the ambulance back to the hospital but then became separated. The ambulance arrived at the hospital much later and the drivers claimed to have lost their way! This was reported on many European radio channels. Why aren't the identities and records of these so-called ambulance drivers being released?...