How the Legal Case of a Former Soldier Over Bloody Sunday Concluded in Not Guilty Verdict
Sunday 30 January 1972 stands as arguably the most fatal β and consequential β dates during thirty years of violence in the region.
Within the community where it happened β the images of Bloody Sunday are visible on the buildings and etched in collective memory.
A protest demonstration was organized on a wintry, sunny day in Londonderry.
The demonstration was opposing the practice of internment β imprisoning people without due process β which had been implemented in response to an extended period of conflict.
Soldiers from the elite army unit killed thirteen individuals in the Bogside area β which was, and still is, a predominantly Irish nationalist area.
One image became especially prominent.
Photographs showed a religious figure, Father Daly, waving a stained with blood cloth as he tried to defend a crowd transporting a youth, Jackie Duddy, who had been fatally wounded.
Journalists recorded much footage on the day.
Historical records features Fr Daly explaining to a reporter that soldiers "just seemed to fire in all directions" and he was "completely sure" that there was no reason for the discharge of weapons.
That version of what happened wasn't accepted by the original examination.
The initial inquiry concluded the soldiers had been fired upon initially.
Throughout the resolution efforts, the ruling party set up a new investigation, following pressure by bereaved relatives, who said Widgery had been a whitewash.
That year, the report by the inquiry said that overall, the military personnel had fired first and that none of the casualties had posed any threat.
At that time head of state, the leader, expressed regret in the Parliament β saying deaths were "without justification and inexcusable."
The police started to examine the incident.
One former paratrooper, referred to as the defendant, was charged for murder.
Accusations were made over the deaths of James Wray, 22, and 26-year-old the second individual.
The defendant was also accused of attempting to murder multiple individuals, additional persons, Joe Mahon, another person, and an unnamed civilian.
Remains a judicial decision preserving the defendant's anonymity, which his attorneys have claimed is required because he is at risk of attack.
He testified the examination that he had solely shot at persons who were carrying weapons.
That claim was rejected in the final report.
Material from the inquiry could not be used straightforwardly as testimony in the court case.
During the trial, the veteran was screened from view with a privacy screen.
He made statements for the opening instance in the proceedings at a hearing in late 2024, to reply "not responsible" when the charges were read.
Family members of the victims on Bloody Sunday journeyed from Londonderry to the judicial building daily of the proceedings.
John Kelly, whose sibling was died, said they always knew that attending the case would be painful.
"I visualize the events in my recollection," the relative said, as we walked around the main locations mentioned in the proceedings β from the street, where the victim was shot dead, to the adjoining the courtyard, where the individual and William McKinney were died.
"It even takes me back to my position that day.
"I assisted with Michael and lay him in the vehicle.
"I went through the entire event during the evidence.
"But even with having to go through everything β it's still valuable for me."