ShiningIce
3rd Level Green Feather
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2002
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LONDON (Reuters) - Princess Diana's butler Paul Burrell was acquitted on Friday of stealing her belongings after revelations from Queen Elizabeth undermined the case.
Reuters Photo
Burrell, whom Diana once called "my rock," sobbed with relief as Justice Ann Rafferty ruled he was not guilty on all three theft charges.
"I'm thrilled, so thrilled," he told reporters after the case collapsed. "The Queen has come through for me."
Prosecution lawyer William Boyce said the Queen, Diana's mother-in-law, remembered she had had a conversation with Burrell, in which he told her he was keeping some of Diana's belongings for safekeeping.
"In all the circumstances, the prosecution has concluded that the current trial is no longer viable because it has proceeded on a false premise that Mr. Burrell had never told anyone that he was holding anything for safekeeping," Boyce told the court.
The prosecution decided "there would no longer be a realistic prospect of conviction in this case," he said as the trial ended abruptly.
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "The decision to drop the case against Mr. Burrell was entirely a decision for the prosecution.... The queen was not briefed on either Mr. Burrell's defense case or on the prosecution case against him."
Burrell had denied stealing more than 300 of the princess's personal items after her death in a 1997 car crash in Paris.
Burrell stood silently outside the court as his defense lawyer Andrew Shaw accused the police of bungling the case.
Shaw said Burrell had told the police of "a private audience granted to him by the Queen. It is surprising that no inquiries were made of the Queen in relation to that meeting.
"It is to his utmost credit, and typical of the man, that it was only this week that he instructed his lawyers as to the full terms of the conversation. Those terms were confirmed by the Queen this morning," Shaw said.
QUEEN CHATTED ABOUT THE CASE
The case ground to a halt after it was revealed that Queen Elizabeth had been discussing the case with her husband, Prince Philip, and her son Prince Charles, Diana's ex-husband.
They were traveling to St Paul's Cathedral last Friday for a memorial service for the victims of the Bali bomb blast when the issue was discussed.
When told by his mother about her meeting with Burrell, Charles realized it was significant and said the police should be informed.
Asked whether the case had been halted at the Queen's request, Buckingham Palace said: "Absolutely not. There is no question of the Queen interfering in due legal process."
Prosecution lawyer Boyce told the court: "The Prince of Wales, whose property and that of (his son) Prince William was directly involved, thought that the information about the meeting might be relevant to the proceedings."
"Following further clarification with the Queen, steps were taken to bring the information to the attention of the police," he said.
Rosa Monckton, one of Diana's closest confidantes, told Sky News: "It's absolutely a case that should never have been brought. There was bungled police evidence, and it should never have been happened. It has caused Paul and his family two years of intolerable strain."
Reuters Photo
Burrell, whom Diana once called "my rock," sobbed with relief as Justice Ann Rafferty ruled he was not guilty on all three theft charges.
"I'm thrilled, so thrilled," he told reporters after the case collapsed. "The Queen has come through for me."
Prosecution lawyer William Boyce said the Queen, Diana's mother-in-law, remembered she had had a conversation with Burrell, in which he told her he was keeping some of Diana's belongings for safekeeping.
"In all the circumstances, the prosecution has concluded that the current trial is no longer viable because it has proceeded on a false premise that Mr. Burrell had never told anyone that he was holding anything for safekeeping," Boyce told the court.
The prosecution decided "there would no longer be a realistic prospect of conviction in this case," he said as the trial ended abruptly.
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "The decision to drop the case against Mr. Burrell was entirely a decision for the prosecution.... The queen was not briefed on either Mr. Burrell's defense case or on the prosecution case against him."
Burrell had denied stealing more than 300 of the princess's personal items after her death in a 1997 car crash in Paris.
Burrell stood silently outside the court as his defense lawyer Andrew Shaw accused the police of bungling the case.
Shaw said Burrell had told the police of "a private audience granted to him by the Queen. It is surprising that no inquiries were made of the Queen in relation to that meeting.
"It is to his utmost credit, and typical of the man, that it was only this week that he instructed his lawyers as to the full terms of the conversation. Those terms were confirmed by the Queen this morning," Shaw said.
QUEEN CHATTED ABOUT THE CASE
The case ground to a halt after it was revealed that Queen Elizabeth had been discussing the case with her husband, Prince Philip, and her son Prince Charles, Diana's ex-husband.
They were traveling to St Paul's Cathedral last Friday for a memorial service for the victims of the Bali bomb blast when the issue was discussed.
When told by his mother about her meeting with Burrell, Charles realized it was significant and said the police should be informed.
Asked whether the case had been halted at the Queen's request, Buckingham Palace said: "Absolutely not. There is no question of the Queen interfering in due legal process."
Prosecution lawyer Boyce told the court: "The Prince of Wales, whose property and that of (his son) Prince William was directly involved, thought that the information about the meeting might be relevant to the proceedings."
"Following further clarification with the Queen, steps were taken to bring the information to the attention of the police," he said.
Rosa Monckton, one of Diana's closest confidantes, told Sky News: "It's absolutely a case that should never have been brought. There was bungled police evidence, and it should never have been happened. It has caused Paul and his family two years of intolerable strain."
