A long way for justice

April 15, 1989:

At the start of an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough in Sheffield, northern England, a crush of supporters against the steel fences at the Leppings Lane end of the stadium leads to the deaths of 94 Liverpool fans and leaves 766 injured.

January 1990:

Leading judge Lord Justice Peter Taylor’s report recommends the removal of terrace fences and the introduction of all-seater stadiums.

March 1991:

Popper’s inquest into the deaths returns verdicts of accidental death for all the victims, ruling that they were all dead by 3:15 pm.

August 1998:

After Home Secretary Jack Straw rules out a new inquiry, the Hillsborough Family Support Group brings private manslaughter charges against Duckenfield and his deputy, Superintendent Bernard Murray.

July 2000:

Following a six-week trial, a jury finds Murray not guilty of manslaughter and fails to reach a verdict on Duckenfield. The judge refuses a retrial, saying that a fair trial for Duckenfield would be impossible.

April 2009:

The Hillsborough Independent Panel is set up in the wake of the 20th anniversary of the tragedy.

October 2011:

British lawmakers agree that all government papers should be handed over to the independent panel.

September 2012:

The report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel finds police orchestrated a cover-up, falsified documents and blamed innocent supporters.

March 2014:

Fresh inquests into the deaths begin at a purposebuilt courtroom in Warrington, east of Liverpool, with families of the 96 victims in attendance.

January 2016:

After 267 days of evidence — the longest case heard by a jury in British legal history — from over 800 witnesses, coroner John Goldring begins his summing up.

April 6, 2016:

Jury retires to consider its verdict.