Editing Marc Dutroux (section)

== Chronology of the case ==
=== Previous crimes ===
* '''26 April 1989''' – Marc Dutroux is convicted of the rape of five girls in 1985 and 1986.
* '''8 April 1992''' – Dutroux, owing to the erstwhile Minister of Justice Melchior Wathelet, is released from prison early where he was serving a 13.5-year sentence.

=== Main crimes and arrests ===
* '''24 June 1995''' – The eight-year-old girls Julie Lejeune and Mélissa Russo are abducted in Liège.
* '''22 August 1995''' – The 17-year-old An Marchal and the 19-year-old Eefje Lambrecks are kidnapped in Ostend.
* '''25 November 1995''' – The 43-year-old Bernard Weinstein, a French companion of Dutroux, is killed by Dutroux (presumably on this date).<ref>[http://www.standaard.be/artikel/detail.aspx?artikelid=DEXA23022004_028 De moord waar geen haan naar kraaide], De Standaard, 20 februari 2004</ref>
* '''13 December 1995''' – Following tips from witnesses and Dutroux's mother, Chief Guard René Michaux searches Dutroux's house in Marcinelle. Children's voices are heard, but Michaux believes them to be coming from outside.
* '''28 May 1996''' – 12-year-old Sabine Dardenne is abducted in Kain, Walloon.
* '''9 August 1996''' – Laetitia Delhez, 14, is abducted in Bertrix.
* '''13 August 1996''' – Dutroux, his wife Michelle Martin, and a friend, Michel Lelièvre, are arrested on the basis of witness statements.
* '''15 August 1996''' – Police discovered Sabine Dardenne and Laetitia Delhez, who were hidden in a cell in the basement of Dutroux's house.
* '''16 August 1996''' – Police arrest Michel Nihoul on suspicion of conspiracy.
* '''17 August 1996''' – The bodies of Lejeune and Russo are dug up in the garden of a house that Dutroux owns in Sars-la-Buissière. The girls are found to have died of starvation. The corpse of Bernard Weinstein is also discovered in the same garden.
* '''18 August 1996''' – Dutroux and Lelièvre confess to the kidnapping of Marchal and Lambrecks, but deny that the teenagers were murdered.
* '''3 September 1996''' – The police find the bodies of Marchal and Lambrecks under a shed at Weinstein's house. The two had been buried alive.

=== Investigation ===
* '''21 September 1996''' – Jean-Marc Connerotte, the investigating judge in the Dutroux case, marries his girlfriend of 10 years. Together with their son they visit a benefit meeting for the parents of the disappeared children. At the benefit the family has spaghetti, and Connerotte sits with Michel Bourlet, the attorney at Neufchâteau. Connerotte stays for only an hour and does not speak to Sabine Dardenne. The magistrates receive a fountain pen worth €27 each and their wives a bouquet of flowers.
* {{anchor|AnchorSpaghetti}}'''15 October 1996''' – The so-called "spaghetti judgement" ({{langx|fr|arrêt spaghetti|italics=yes}}): the Court of Cassation removes the investigating judge Jean-Marc Connerotte for attending the benefit and receiving two gifts there (the plate of spaghetti and a fountain pen).
* '''20 October 1996''' – The White March. Around 300,000 people demonstrate in Brussels to protest against the delays and errors in the Dutroux investigation.
* '''24 October 1996''' – Concerned that the Dutroux investigation will be mishandled, the Belgian parliament sets up an independent committee to investigate the Dutroux case and the possible procedural errors committed by the Belgian police and judicial authorities. Marc Verwilghen acts as the chairman.
* '''15 March 1997''' – The Dutroux Commission delivers scathing criticism at the police and the Ministry of Justice for miscarrying their investigation into the missing girls.
* '''6 May 1997''' – The Dutroux Commission returns to work and investigates whether Dutroux was protected by people in positions of power.
* '''15 February 1998''' – The committee's second report states that the Dutroux gang did not enjoy protection, but benefited from corruption, carelessness, and a lack of professionalism.
* '''23 April 1998''' – Dutroux escapes from the Neufchâteau courthouse, but is picked up again four hours later in Herbeumont Saint-Médard by ranger Stéphane Michaux. Interior Minister Johan Vande Lanotte and Minister of Justice Stefaan De Clerck offer their resignation on the same day and are succeeded by Louis Tobback and Tony Van Parys, respectively. The head of the government service, Willy Deridder, also resigns.
* '''14 July 1999''' – Hubert Massa, Advocate General in charge of the Dutroux case, commits suicide.
* '''15 December 1999''' – Michel Nihoul is released conditionally due to a lack of evidence.
* '''15 March 2002''' – Investigative Judge Jacques Langlois completes the investigation into the Dutroux case.
* '''17 January 2003''' – The Council Chamber in Neufchâteau decides to bring Dutroux, Martin and Lelièvre before the Court of Assizes. Nihoul is excluded from prosecution. Public prosecutor Bourlet and some civil parties file an appeal.
* '''30 April 2003''' – The Liège Chamber of Indictment (AI) follows Attorney Bourlet and also refers Nihoul to the Court of Assizes.<ref>[http://www.standaard.be/artikel/detail.aspx?artikelid=DST30042003_005 Proces-Dutroux of Dutroux-Nihoul? Gerecht hakt knopen door na bijna zeven jaar], www.standaard.be, 30 April 2003</ref><ref>[http://www.standaard.be/artikel/detail.aspx?artikelid=DMF30042003_002 Nihoul naar assisen], www.standaard.be, 1 mei 2003</ref>
* '''8 December 2003''' – Attorney Bourlet files the 27-page indictment.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071028110022/http://www.observatoirecitoyen.be/IMG/pdf/Acte_d_accusation.pdf Acte d'accusation], Luiks Hof van Beroep, 8 December 2003</ref>

=== Trial ===
* '''1 March 2004''' – The Dutroux trial starts in Arlon.
* '''14 June 2004''' – After 56 litigation days, the twelve members of the jury withdraw to consider the guilt or innocence of the suspects.
* '''17 June 2004''' – Dutroux is found guilty of several murders.
* '''22 June 2004''' – Dutroux is sentenced to life imprisonment. Michelle Martin is sentenced to 30 years in prison and Michel Lelièvre to 25 years. Michel Nihoul is convicted to 5 years on drug-related charges. Dutroux appeals to cassation.
* '''16 December 2004''' – The Court of Cassation finds that no procedural errors were made. The penalties continue to apply.
* '''October 2005''' – Lelièvre asks for the first time to be released conditionally. The request is denied because he has not yet reimbursed his victims.<ref name="watmetdutrouxlelievre">[http://www.standaard.be/artikel/detail.aspx?artikelid=4G39UOAP Wat met Dutroux en Lelièvre?], www.standaard.be, 10 mei 2011</ref>
* '''May 2006''' - Michel Nihoul is released under conditions.<ref name="brf" />
* '''2007''' – The Belgian state is ordered by the European Court of Human Rights to pay €6,000 in damages to Lelièvre, because his pre-trial detention had lasted for unreasonably long. Like Marc Dutroux and Michelle Martin, Lelièvre had been in jail for almost eight years before he was convicted in 2004. The money is given to his victims.<ref name="watmetdutrouxlelievre" />
* '''April 2007''' – Michelle Martin submits a request for conditional release, in application of the Lejeune Act. This is rejected in light of the seriousness of the facts, the lack of probation prospects and the risks associated with the psychological profile of the convicted person.
* '''October 2008''' – Martin submits a second application, which is rejected.
* '''November 2009''' – Martin submits a third application, which is rejected.
* '''8 May 2011''' – Martin, after serving half of her sentence, obtains conditional release. However, the associated conditions are not met by mid-June 2011, and Martin is not released.
* '''April 2012''' – Dutroux requests penal leave, which would allow him to stay outside the prison for one day and one night every month (this can be done at the earliest one year before serving one-third of his sentence). The prison management denies the request.<ref>[http://nieuws.vtm.be/binnenland/201209167884-dutroux-vindt-dat-hij-genoeg-heeft-geboet Dutroux vindt dat hij genoeg heeft geboet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325174718/http://nieuws.vtm.be/binnenland/201209167884-dutroux-vindt-dat-hij-genoeg-heeft-geboet |date=25 March 2015 }}, www.vtm.be, 16 September 2012</ref>

=== Releases ===
* '''31 July 2012''' – The criminal court once again decides to release Michelle Martin conditionally. The monastery of the Poor Klaren in Malonne is prepared to receive her. However, the Public Prosecution Service appeals to cassation, and Martin's release leads to protests.
* '''19 August 2012''' – The families of Julie Lejeune and An Marchal, together with Laetitia Delhez, organize a demonstration against Martin's release with 5,000 participants. After the event, they are received by the Minister of Justice [[Annemie Turtelboom]], the Minister of Internal Affairs [[Joëlle Milquet]], and a week later by the Prime Minister [[Elio Di Rupo]].
* '''28 August 2012''' – The Supreme Court rules that no procedural errors had been found in the decision of the criminal court. A few hours later Martin leaves the prison for the monastery in Malonne.<ref>[http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/binnenland/120828_MichelleMartin Hof van Cassatie bevestigt vrijlating van Martin], www.deredactie.be, 28 augustus 2012</ref><ref>[http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/binnenland/120828_MichelleMartin_Malonne Michelle Martin is aangekomen in Malonne], www.deredactie.be, 28 augustus 2012</ref>
* '''6 September 2012''' – Following the protests against the release of Martin, the government summit finalizes the coalition agreement, which includes a tightening of the conditional release.<ref>''Zwaar gestraften blijven langer in de cel'', De Standaard, 6 September 2012, p. 8-9</ref>
* '''13 September 2012''' – Dutroux applies to be released with an ankle strap (which can be permitted six months prior to the first appearance before the criminal court).<ref>[http://www.deredactie.be/permalink/1.1430170 Dutroux wil met enkelband vrijkomen], VRT Journaal 7u, www.deredactie.be, 14 September 2012</ref> According to Ronny Baudewijn, Dutroux's lawyer, he had spent hours discussing repentance and regret with him, which Dutroux appears to lack. Dutroux finds it regrettable that people have died, but does not feel guilty. As a psychopath, he cannot empathize with others and only sees what he feels he is entitled to, according to Baudewijn.<ref>[http://www.standaard.be/artikel/detail.aspx?artikelid=DMF20120914_196 Advocaat wist niet dat Dutroux aanvraag voor enkelband indiende], www.standaard.be, 14 September 2012</ref>
* '''April 2013''' – Dutroux will have served one-third of his sentence and will be summoned for the first time by the enforcement court (even if he does not take the initiative with a request for a conditional release).
* '''October 2019''' – Michael Lelièvre is released under conditions.<ref name="lesoirlelievre" />
* '''October 2019''' – Dutroux files to have himself examined by psychiatrists. To be allowed conditional release in 2021, three psychiatrists would have to come to the conclusion that the danger of him reoffending is low.<ref name="nytimespsy">{{cite news |last1=Peltier |first1=Elian |title=Notorious Killer's Bid for Parole Reopens Old Wounds in Belgium |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/world/europe/marc-dutroux-release-parole.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=29 October 2019 |access-date=25 December 2019}}</ref><ref name="sudinfo">{{cite web |title=Demande de libération de Marc Dutroux: l'audience devant le TAP est terminée, une décision sur l'expertise psychiatrique rendue le 28 octobre |url=https://www.sudinfo.be/id146954/article/2019-10-17/demande-de-liberation-de-marc-dutroux-laudience-devant-le-tap-est-terminee-une |website=sudinfo.be |date=17 October 2019 |publisher=Sud Info |access-date=25 December 2019}}</ref> In May 2020, Dutroux's pre-parole hearing was delayed by the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Coronavirus delays infamous paedophile Marc Dutroux's pre-parole exam |url=https://www.brusselstimes.com/all-news/belgium-all-news/109873/coronavirus-delays-infamous-paedophile-marc-dutroux-pre-parole-exam/ |access-date=7 August 2020 |work=The Brussels Times |date=6 May 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
* '''October 2020''' - Dutroux's lawyer, Bruno Dayez, discloses that Dutroux will not be pursuing parole after an evaluation by three psychiatrists unequivocally opposes his release. The psychiatrists' 90-page report on Dutroux describes him as a "sadistic psychopath who has no remorse for his victims" and a "maximum risk" with a high chance of reoffending.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thebulletin.be/no-parole-marc-dutroux-after-damning-psychiatric-report|title=No parole for Marc Dutroux after damning psychiatric report|date=26 October 2020|access-date=23 August 2023|publisher=The Bulletin|language=en}}</ref>
* '''26 August 2022''' - Michelle Martin is unconditionally released.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2022/08/24/former-wife-of-child-killer-marc-dutroux-to-be-released-without/|title=Former wife of child killer Marc Dutroux to be a free woman without conditions|date=24 August 2022|access-date=23 August 2023|publisher=VRT News|language=en}}</ref>