Feb. 14, 2013
Reeva Steenkamp is shot and killed
Oscar Pistorius' girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, dies on Valentine's Day after being shot in the arm and head at Pistorius' home. Police arrest Pistorius later that day, saying "there is no other suspect involved."
Pistorius and Steenkamp pose for a photo in January 2013 in Johannesburg.
(Waldo Swiegerse / AFP/Getty Images)
Feb. 20, 2013
Pistorius says he shot Steenkamp by mistake
In a bail hearing, Pistorius claims he killed Steenkamp by mistake, believing she was an intruder. Pistorius' attorney Barry Roux says that his client fired several shots through the bathroom door after hearing noises.
Oscar Pistorius appears in court Feb. 20, 2013.
(Stephane de Satukin / AFP/Getty Images)
March 11, 2013
Friends say Pistorius may be on the brink of suicide
Worries begin to surface about Pistorius' mental health after one of his friends describes him to South Africa's BBC3 as a "broken man" on the verge of suicide. Concerns about Pistorius' mental state would persist throughout his trial.
Pistorius hides his face in his hands during a bail hearing.
(Antoine De Ras / AFP/Getty Images)
Aug. 19, 2013
Pistorius is indicted on premeditated murder and ammunition charges
Prosecutors formally indict the Olympic track athlete for premeditated murder and illegal possession of ammunition. The charges carry a possible life sentence with a minimum of 25 years.
Pistorius leaves the court.
(Mujahid Safodien / AFP/Getty Images)
Feb. 25, 2014
Media ramps up in preparation for the trial
A few days before the start of the trial, a judge rules that the bulk of the trial can be televised, and audio will be available for the few parts of the trial that will not be broadcast. The ruling comes in response to the crush of international media that turned out to cover Pistorius' preliminary bail hearings.
The trial is the first to be televised in South African history.
Pistorius is surrounded by reporters and onlookers as he leaves the high court in Pretoria.
(Themba Hadebe / Associated Press)
March 3, 2014
The trial begins
On the first day of his trial, Pistorius pleads not guilty to the murder of his girlfriend. The athlete does not deny he shot her, but claims her death was a tragic accident rather than a premeditated act.
“The allegation that I wanted to kill Reeva could not be further from the truth,” Pistorius says.
Pistorius stands in court on the first day of his trial.
(Herman Verwey / Foto24Gallo Images / Getty Images)
March 12, 2014
Defense alleges police bungled the investigation
Defense attorneys cast doubt on the validity of the police investigation, calling into question the handling of evidence.
Attorneys said a police officer left a shoe print on the bathroom door -- one of the most crucial pieces of evidence in the murder trial -- and later wiped it off. In addition, a valuable watch, worth $5,000 to $10,000 dollars, apparently disappeared from the scene of the crime when only police were present.
The door through which Pistorius shot Steenkamp.
(Antoine de Ras / Independent Newspapers / Gallo Images / Getty Images)
March 25, 2014
The prosecution presents its case
The prosecution presents evidence in the trial that supports its version of events: After Pistorius and Steenkamp argued, he shot and killed her out of anger. The court heard testimony from five neighbors who said they heard a woman's bloodcurdling screams and a security guard who said Pistorius told him "everything is fine" immediately after the incident.
The prosecution also cited testimony from a police cellphone expert who said some of Steenkamp's text messages to Pistorius indicated she was afraid of him. They also said a packed bag of Steenkamp's clothes implied she planned to leave him.
State prosecutor Gerrie Nel gestures in court.
(Mujahid Safodien, Pool / Associated Press)
April 8, 2014
Pistorius cries on the stand
Pistorius breaks down in court while describing his actions early on the morning of Feb. 14. He says he had gotten out of bed to move a fan when he heard a noise that he thought was the bathroom window opening, indicating an intruder. Believing Steenkamp to still be sleeping, Pistorius says he got a gun and fired four times into the bathroom.
He admits that he and Steenkamp sometimes argued, and that he at times felt insecure about their relationship, but maintains that he would never have intentionally harmed her. He also makes a tearful apology to her family.
Pistorius breaks down in court.
(Themda Hadebe / Associated Press)
June 30, 2014
Psychiatric assessment finds Pistorius did not suffer from a mental disorder at the time of the shooting
After Judge Thokozile Masipa orders Pistorius to undergo a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, the panel of experts finds he did not suffer from a generalized anxiety disorder at the time of the shooting.
However, a report from a psychologist on the panel of experts says Pistorius does suffer from severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, and is at risk of suicide.
Pistorius listens to court proceedings.
(Werner Beukes / AFP/Getty Images)
July 8, 2014
Defense team rests its case
The defense team rests its case, reiterating that Pistorius did not intend to shoot and kill Steenkamp, but rather acted in self-defense after hearing what he thought was a burglar entering his home.
The defense's case relied heavily on testimony that Pistorius suffered from anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder over his inability to run from a fight without his prosthetic legs. Pistorius' attorneys also contested the prosecution's version of events, saying the screams neighbors heard were Pistorius, not Steenkamp.
Chief defense attorney Barry Roux presents his client's case in court.
(Herman Verwey, Pool / Associated Press)
Aug. 8, 2014
Both sides make final arguments
In their final statements in court, the prosecution argues that Pistorius "dropped the baton of truth" and told the court of a highly unlikely sequence of events, while the defense contends Pistorius' emotional state and deep regrets about the shooting show he did not intend to kill Steenkamp.
To decide the case, the court must sort through a complicated sequence of events and several possible criminal charges and decipher Pistorius' state of mind at the time of the shooting.
Pistorius looks on as evidence is presented in his trial.
(Daniel Born, Pool / Associated Press)
Sept. 11, 2014
Oscar Pistorius verdict: 'Negligent' but not guilty of murder
Judge Thokozile Masipa finds Pistorius "negligent" in his girlfriend's killing. But she acquits him of murder charges, prompting Pistorius to bend over and sob, before the court recesses for the day without a final verdict.
In a nearly daylong hearing, Masipa finds that Pistorius was negligent in firing his weapon and must have foreseen his actions would result in the death of the person inside. She also concludes that he failed to take reasonable steps to avoid that person's death.
She halts the proceedings before delivering a ruling on a lesser charge of culpable homicide and said she would resume the proceedings on Friday.
Oscar Pistorius reacts during the reading of the verdict in his murder trial in Pretoria, South Africa, on Sept. 11.
(Kim Ludbrook / EPA)
