  We present a new set of spectroscopic and photometric data extending the
observations of SN 1997D to over 400 days after the explosion. These
observations confirm the peculiar properties of SN 1997D, such as the very low
abundance of 56Co (0.002 Msolar) and the low expansion velocity of the ejecta
(~1000 km/s). We discuss the implications of these observations for the
character of the progenitor and the nature of the remnant showing that a
Crab-like pulsar or an accreting neutron star formed in the explosion of a low
mass progenitor should already have produced a detectable luminosity at this
epoch, in contrast with photometric data. On the other hand, the explosion of a
high mass progenitor with the formation of a black hole is consistent with the
available observations. The consequences of this conclusion regarding the
nature of the explosion and the prospects of directly identifying the black
hole are also addressed.
