PARIS -- The accused murderers of wealthy Prince Jean de Broglie, a former government minister, went on trial Wednesday nearly five years after his death with ex-President Valery Giscard d'Estaing among those expected to give testimony.
The court is to decide later whether to honor Giscard's request to give written testinomy or to require him to appear.
The 'de Broglie affair,' as the French have come to call it, has developed political implications involving high officials of the police and courts. the newspaper Le Monde said Wednesday the murder 'added its shadows to other affairs which contibuted to the fall of the outgoing president (Giscard).'
De Broglie, of aristocratic Italian ancestry and co-founder with Giscard of the former president's political party, was killed by three shots fired from a passing car when leaving the office of his financial adviser, Pierre de Varga, on Dec. 24 1976.
Five days later, then Interior Minister Michel Poniatowski, a confidante of Giscard, announced the arrest of four men who included de Varga and a police inspector, Guy Simone, accused of driving the murder car. The other defendants are Gerard Frecher, accused of being the trigger man, and Serge Tessedre.
The police charged De Broglie was killed because he had made a loan to de Varga on terms it would not have to be repaid if he died.
But as the investigation progressed there were allegations that Poniatowski and high police officials knew in advance of threats made against de Broglie.
There has been recurring speculation about political motives for the crime. Until now no conclusive evidence has been offered of who actually ordered the killing and why. Newspapers have said 'the entire Giscard regime is on trial.'
De Varga has complained of receiving death threats in prison. Five other persons involved with the affair have died in automobile accidents and other mishaps since 1976. The trial is scheduled to last about two months.
