The trial of Anders Behring Breivik, involving hundreds of people, will last about 10 weeks. Here are the main people involved:
• The judges: Mr Breivik’s fate will be decided by a panel of five, comprising two professional judges and three lay judges whose votes will all weigh equally. The chief judge is one of the professionals, Wenche Elizabeth Arntzen;
• The defence: Mr Breivik is being defended by Geir Lippestad and three assistants;
• The prosecution: two state prosecutors, Inga Bejer Engh and Svein Holden;
• The victims: more than 770 survivors and families of the victims, represented by 162 lawyers;
• The witnesses: close to 150 people are expected to testify.
The schedule
• April 16-23: Mr Breivik testifies;
• April 24-30: Focus on the bombing of the government offices, testimony from forensic experts and witnesses;
• May 3-June 1: Focus on the shooting rampage on Utoeya island, testimony from forensic experts and witnesses;
• June 4: Focus on Mr Breivik’s arrest;
• June 4-5: Testimony from Mr Breivik’s friends and family;
• June 6: Details from the investigation;
• June 7-15: Witnesses called by the defence and counsel for the victims;
• June 18-20: Court-appointed psychiatrists present their diagnosis on Mr Breivik’s mental state;
• June 21-22: Closing arguments.
Sentencing
If the judges find Mr Breivik sane, he risks:
• Up to 21 years in prison, the maximum under Norwegian law for “acts of terror”;
• Preventive detention, which means up to 21 years in prison, with a provision allowing for extensions until he is no longer deemed a danger to society.
If the judges find Mr Breivik insane:
• He will be sentenced to a closed psychiatric ward, possibly for the rest of his life;
• If he were to be found cured by the care he receives, he could be released, as long as he is no longer considered a threat to society.;
• If this condition is not fulfilled, he could be transferred to a prison under a provision that has only been used once in Norway.
The verdict
The verdict is expected in mid-July, though no specific date has been set yet. A majority vote by three of the five judges is needed, and will focus on the question of whether Mr Breivik was criminally sane, which will determine whether he is sentenced to prison or a closed psychiatric ward.