The Way the Legal Case of a Former Soldier Over the 1972 Londonderry Incident Ended in Not Guilty Verdict
Sunday 30 January 1972 stands as arguably the most deadly – and consequential – days during multiple decades of conflict in this area.
Within the community of the incident – the images of Bloody Sunday are visible on the buildings and embedded in collective memory.
A civil rights march was conducted on a wintry, sunny afternoon in the city.
The march was challenging the practice of imprisonment without charges – imprisoning people without legal proceedings – which had been implemented after multiple years of conflict.
Troops from the elite army unit shot dead multiple civilians in the district – which was, and continues to be, a predominantly Irish nationalist community.
A specific visual became especially memorable.
Pictures showed a Catholic priest, Fr Edward Daly, waving a stained with blood cloth as he tried to protect a group transporting a teenager, the fatally wounded individual, who had been mortally injured.
Journalists captured much footage on the day.
Historical records includes Father Daly explaining to a journalist that troops "gave the impression they would discharge weapons randomly" and he was "completely sure" that there was no provocation for the shooting.
The narrative of what happened was disputed by the initial investigation.
The Widgery Tribunal found the Army had been attacked first.
Throughout the resolution efforts, Tony Blair's government commissioned a new investigation, in response to advocacy by bereaved relatives, who said the initial inquiry had been a whitewash.
That year, the report by the inquiry said that generally, the paratroopers had fired first and that none of the individuals had been armed.
The contemporary Prime Minister, David Cameron, expressed regret in the Parliament – declaring deaths were "improper and unacceptable."
Law enforcement started to investigate the matter.
An ex-soldier, identified as Soldier F, was brought to trial for murder.
Accusations were made concerning the fatalities of James Wray, 22, and twenty-six-year-old another victim.
The defendant was additionally charged of attempting to murder multiple individuals, Joseph Friel, Joe Mahon, another person, and an unidentified individual.
Exists a legal order protecting the defendant's identity protection, which his legal team have argued is essential because he is at threat.
He stated to the Saville Inquiry that he had only fired at individuals who were carrying weapons.
That claim was dismissed in the official findings.
Information from the inquiry was unable to be used directly as testimony in the criminal process.
During the trial, the veteran was screened from view behind a blue curtain.
He spoke for the first time in court at a proceeding in that month, to answer "not responsible" when the charges were put to him.
Kin of the victims on Bloody Sunday journeyed from the city to the judicial building daily of the proceedings.
One relative, whose sibling was killed, said they understood that listening to the trial would be difficult.
"I visualize the events in my mind's eye," the relative said, as we walked around the primary sites discussed in the proceedings – from the location, where Michael was fatally wounded, to the adjoining the area, where the individual and William McKinney were killed.
"It even takes me back to my location that day.
"I helped to carry the victim and lay him in the medical transport.
"I experienced again every moment during the proceedings.
"Despite having to go through everything – it's still meaningful for me."