The Way the Prosecution of a Former Soldier Over Bloody Sunday Ended in Acquittal

Sunday 30 January 1972 is remembered as among the most deadly – and momentous – occasions during three decades of unrest in this area.

Within the community of the incident – the memories of Bloody Sunday are displayed on the structures and etched in people's minds.

A public gathering was held on a wintry, sunny afternoon in the city.

The demonstration was a protest against the system of imprisonment without charges – holding suspects without trial – which had been established in response to multiple years of violence.

Soldiers from the Parachute Regiment killed thirteen individuals in the neighborhood – which was, and remains, a overwhelmingly republican population.

A particular photograph became especially memorable.

Photographs showed a Catholic priest, the priest, using a bloodied cloth while attempting to shield a crowd moving a young man, Jackie Duddy, who had been killed.

Media personnel captured extensive video on the day.

Documented accounts features Father Daly telling a reporter that soldiers "just seemed to discharge weapons randomly" and he was "totally convinced" that there was no provocation for the discharge of weapons.

This account of events was rejected by the initial investigation.

The initial inquiry found the soldiers had been attacked first.

During the peace process, the ruling party set up a new investigation, following pressure by surviving kin, who said the first investigation had been a inadequate investigation.

During 2010, the report by Lord Saville said that on balance, the military personnel had initiated shooting and that none of the victims had been armed.

The then head of state, the leader, issued an apology in the government chamber – declaring deaths were "unjustified and unjustifiable."

Authorities started to look into the matter.

A military veteran, known as the accused, was charged for killing.

Indictments were filed over the fatalities of James Wray, twenty-two, and 26-year-old William McKinney.

The defendant was also accused of trying to kill multiple individuals, other civilians, more people, an additional individual, and an unknown person.

Exists a legal order maintaining the veteran's anonymity, which his lawyers have maintained is essential because he is at danger.

He stated to the examination that he had exclusively discharged his weapon at individuals who were possessing firearms.

This assertion was disputed in the final report.

Information from the inquiry was unable to be used immediately as testimony in the court case.

In the dock, the veteran was shielded from sight behind a blue curtain.

He addressed the court for the first time in court at a proceeding in late 2024, to reply "not guilty" when the accusations were put to him.

Kin of those who were killed on Bloody Sunday travelled from Londonderry to Belfast Crown Court each day of the proceedings.

A family member, whose brother Michael was died, said they were aware that hearing the trial would be difficult.

"I remember the events in my memory," he said, as we walked around the primary sites mentioned in the proceedings – from the location, where the victim was fatally wounded, to the adjacent the area, where one victim and another victim were killed.

"It reminds me to my position that day.

"I assisted with my brother and lay him in the vehicle.

"I went through the entire event during the evidence.

"Notwithstanding experiencing the process – it's still valuable for me."