The Way the Legal Case of a Former Soldier Over the 1972 Londonderry Incident Ended in Not Guilty Verdict
January 30th, 1972 stands as among the deadliest – and significant – occasions throughout thirty years of conflict in this area.
Throughout the area of the incident – the memories of the tragic events are painted on the walls and etched in public consciousness.
A public gathering was conducted on a wintry, sunny afternoon in the city.
The demonstration was opposing the policy of imprisonment without charges – holding suspects without legal proceedings – which had been implemented after three years of violence.
Troops from the elite army unit shot dead multiple civilians in the Bogside area – which was, and remains, a overwhelmingly republican area.
One image became especially iconic.
Pictures showed a Catholic priest, Fr Edward Daly, using a bloodied fabric in his effort to protect a group transporting a youth, the fatally wounded individual, who had been mortally injured.
Media personnel recorded much footage on the day.
Historical records features the priest explaining to a reporter that military personnel "just seemed to discharge weapons randomly" and he was "absolutely certain" that there was no provocation for the shooting.
That version of events was rejected by the initial investigation.
The initial inquiry determined the Army had been attacked first.
In the peace process, the ruling party set up another inquiry, in response to advocacy by family members, who said the first investigation had been a cover-up.
In 2010, the findings by Lord Saville said that on balance, the soldiers had discharged weapons initially and that zero among the individuals had posed any threat.
The then Prime Minister, David Cameron, issued an apology in the government chamber – saying fatalities were "improper and inexcusable."
Law enforcement began to look into the incident.
One former paratrooper, identified as Soldier F, was brought to trial for killing.
He was charged concerning the fatalities of James Wray, twenty-two, and in his mid-twenties William McKinney.
The defendant was further implicated of trying to kill multiple individuals, other civilians, further individuals, another person, and an unknown person.
Exists a court ruling maintaining the veteran's anonymity, which his legal team have maintained is necessary because he is at risk of attack.
He testified the Saville Inquiry that he had exclusively discharged his weapon at people who were armed.
That claim was dismissed in the final report.
Evidence from the inquiry was unable to be used immediately as proof in the legal proceedings.
In court, the veteran was shielded from sight behind a protective barrier.
He made statements for the first time in the hearing at a session in that month, to answer "innocent" when the allegations were read.
Relatives of the victims on the incident made the trip from Derry to the judicial building each day of the proceedings.
One relative, whose brother Michael was died, said they understood that listening to the case would be painful.
"I remember all details in my memory," the relative said, as we visited the main locations referenced in the trial – from the street, where Michael was fatally wounded, to the adjacent Glenfada Park, where the individual and William McKinney were died.
"It reminds me to my location that day.
"I participated in moving my brother and put him in the vehicle.
"I went through the entire event during the proceedings.
"But even with having to go through everything – it's still meaningful for me."