The Way this Legal Case of an Army Veteran Regarding Bloody Sunday Concluded in Not Guilty Verdict
Sunday 30 January 1972 stands as one of the most deadly – and significant – days during thirty years of violence in Northern Ireland.
Within the community where events unfolded – the memories of the tragic events are painted on the structures and etched in collective memory.
A public gathering was held on a cold but bright day in the city.
The protest was challenging the system of imprisonment without charges – detaining individuals without due process – which had been implemented following multiple years of violence.
Soldiers from the specialized division killed multiple civilians in the Bogside area – which was, and remains, a predominantly Irish nationalist area.
One image became notably iconic.
Images showed a Catholic priest, Fr Edward Daly, displaying a stained with blood white handkerchief as he tried to shield a crowd transporting a youth, Jackie Duddy, who had been mortally injured.
Journalists captured extensive video on the day.
The archive includes Fr Daly explaining to a media representative that soldiers "gave the impression they would fire in all directions" and he was "absolutely certain" that there was no reason for the discharge of weapons.
This account of what happened was rejected by the original examination.
The Widgery Tribunal concluded the soldiers had been fired upon initially.
Throughout the negotiation period, the ruling party established a new investigation, after campaigning by surviving kin, who said the initial inquiry had been a inadequate investigation.
That year, the findings by Lord Saville said that generally, the paratroopers had discharged weapons initially and that none of the individuals had presented danger.
The contemporary head of state, David Cameron, apologised in the Parliament – declaring fatalities were "unjustified and unacceptable."
Law enforcement started to look into the matter.
An ex-soldier, known as the accused, was charged for murder.
Accusations were made concerning the fatalities of one victim, 22, and in his mid-twenties William McKinney.
Soldier F was also accused of trying to kill Patrick O'Donnell, other civilians, Joe Mahon, Michael Quinn, and an unknown person.
Remains a court ruling preserving the defendant's identity protection, which his legal team have argued is necessary because he is at threat.
He stated to the Saville Inquiry that he had only fired at individuals who were carrying weapons.
This assertion was disputed in the official findings.
Information from the investigation could not be used immediately as proof in the court case.
During the trial, the defendant was hidden from public using a blue curtain.
He addressed the court for the first time in court at a proceeding in late 2024, to answer "not responsible" when the accusations were put to him.
Family members of those who were killed on the incident made the trip from the city to the judicial building daily of the case.
One relative, whose relative was died, said they were aware that hearing the trial would be emotional.
"I visualize everything in my recollection," he said, as we examined the primary sites referenced in the trial – from Rossville Street, where the victim was killed, to the nearby Glenfada Park, where the individual and the second person were fatally wounded.
"It returns me to where I was that day.
"I helped to carry the victim and lay him in the vehicle.
"I experienced again each detail during the testimony.
"Notwithstanding having to go through all that – it's still worthwhile for me."