How the Prosecution of an Army Veteran Over the 1972 Londonderry Incident Concluded in Acquittal

January 30th, 1972 is remembered as among the deadliest – and consequential – occasions during thirty years of unrest in Northern Ireland.

Within the community where it happened – the images of the tragic events are displayed on the walls and embedded in collective memory.

A civil rights march was organized on a chilly yet clear afternoon in Londonderry.

The demonstration was opposing the policy of internment – holding suspects without due process – which had been established in response to three years of unrest.

Military personnel from the specialized division killed 13 people in the Bogside area – which was, and remains, a overwhelmingly Irish nationalist population.

A particular photograph became notably memorable.

Pictures showed a Catholic priest, Fr Edward Daly, displaying a stained with blood cloth in his effort to shield a assembly carrying a teenager, the injured teenager, who had been mortally injured.

Media personnel recorded considerable film on the day.

Historical records includes the priest explaining to a journalist that soldiers "just seemed to fire in all directions" and he was "totally convinced" that there was no justification for the shooting.

That version of events was rejected by the original examination.

The first investigation determined the military had been shot at first.

During the resolution efforts, the ruling party set up a fresh examination, in response to advocacy by bereaved relatives, who said the initial inquiry had been a inadequate investigation.

That year, the findings by the inquiry said that generally, the military personnel had fired first and that none of the individuals had presented danger.

The then Prime Minister, the leader, apologised in the Parliament – stating deaths were "unjustified and inexcusable."

The police commenced examine the matter.

One former paratrooper, identified as Soldier F, was charged for murder.

Indictments were filed regarding the deaths of the first individual, twenty-two, and twenty-six-year-old another victim.

Soldier F was also accused of trying to kill Patrick O'Donnell, other civilians, Joe Mahon, an additional individual, and an unnamed civilian.

Exists a judicial decision preserving the defendant's anonymity, which his legal team have argued is required because he is at threat.

He stated to the investigation that he had solely shot at people who were possessing firearms.

That claim was disputed in the concluding document.

Information from the inquiry could not be used immediately as proof in the legal proceedings.

In the dock, the defendant was screened from view using a protective barrier.

He addressed the court for the first time in the hearing at a session in late 2024, to reply "not guilty" when the charges were presented.

Family members of the victims on that day made the trip from Derry to Belfast Crown Court each day of the case.

John Kelly, whose brother Michael was died, said they understood that hearing the case would be emotional.

"I visualize everything in my mind's eye," the relative said, as we walked around the primary sites referenced in the trial – from Rossville Street, where Michael was shot dead, to the adjoining the area, where James Wray and the second person were died.

"It reminds me to where I was that day.

"I participated in moving the victim and lay him in the medical transport.

"I went through the entire event during the proceedings.

"But even with having to go through the process – it's still valuable for me."