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June 20, 1994
Five members of the Bain family are found dead in their
home - Robin, 59, his wife Margaret and three of their children,
Arawa, Laniet and Stephen, who is just 14.
June 24, 1994
David Cullen Bain is charged with five counts of murder.
The family is funeral service takes place the next day.
July 1994
The Bain house at 65 Every Street is razed at the request
of Bain's extended family.
May 1995
David Bain goes on trial for murder.
May 29, 1995
The jury finds David Bain guilty of five counts of
murder.
June 1995
Bain is sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole
period of 16 years.
The years of appeals begin.
David Bain petitions the Governor General for a pardon,
there is a Ministry of Justice inquiry, the case is referred back
to the Court of Appeal and eventually dismissed.
During all of this Former All Black Joe Karam takes on the crusade
to free David Bain.
December 1995
The Court of Appeal dismisses Bain's appeal
May 1996
A petition to the Privy Council seeking leave to appeal
the conviction fails.
June 2000
The case is referred back to the Court of Appeal
December 19, 2000
Aspects of the case referred back to the Court of Appeal.
Justice minister Phil Goff said an investigation had shown that "a
number of errors" may have occurred in the Crown's case.
December 20, 2002
Goff announces the case is to be reheard in full by Court
of Appeal.
September 2003
The Court of Appeal finally hears the case and decides
against a retrial.
December 13, 2003
Court of Appeal decides a retrial not needed on the
grounds that the new evidence would not have changed the jury's
verdict.
June 2006
David Bain's legal team wins the right to take the case
to the Privy Council for a full hearing.
March 2007
Karam and David's defence team travels to London to put
their case to the Privy Council.
May 2007
Privy Council quashes David Bain's convictions. Five days
later he is granted bail.
June 21, 2007
Solicitor-General David Collins orders a retrial
July 2007
The trial is set down to start on May 5 and is expected
to last about 12 weeks
.
May 2008
The retrial is moved to Christchurch, and is set for
August 2008. Later in May an adjournment is gratned until February
16, 2009.
Oct 2008
David Bain's defence team filed papers with the Privy
Council in London to have the murder charges against him
dismissed.
Dec 2008
The Privy Council in London refused to hear an appeal by
David Bain's defence team to stop his retrial.
Mar 6 2009
David Bain's retrial gets under way
June 5 2009
David Cullen Bain, 37, is found not guilty of all five
counts of murder