How the Prosecution of a Former Soldier Over Bloody Sunday Concluded in Acquittal

Protesters in a stand-off with British soldiers on Bloody Sunday
Protesters in a tense situation with military personnel on Bloody Sunday

January 30th, 1972 remains among the deadliest – and consequential – days during thirty years of unrest in Northern Ireland.

Within the community of the incident – the legacy of the tragic events are visible on the buildings and seared in people's minds.

A public gathering was conducted on a chilly yet clear period in the city.

The march was challenging the system of imprisonment without charges – holding suspects without due process – which had been established in response to three years of violence.

Fr Edward Daly waved a blood-stained handkerchief as he tried to defend a assembly carrying a youth, the injured teenager
Fr Edward Daly displayed a blood-stained handkerchief while attempting to protect a crowd carrying a young man, Jackie Duddy

Soldiers from the elite army unit fatally wounded multiple civilians in the neighborhood – which was, and remains, a strongly republican population.

A particular photograph became especially iconic.

Images showed a religious figure, Father Daly, displaying a blood-stained fabric in his effort to defend a assembly moving a young man, the fatally wounded individual, who had been killed.

Journalists captured considerable film on the day.

The archive contains the priest telling a journalist that soldiers "appeared to fire in all directions" and he was "absolutely certain" that there was no provocation for the shooting.

Civilians in the neighborhood being taken to arrest by soldiers on Bloody Sunday
Civilians in the Bogside area being taken to custody by soldiers on Bloody Sunday

That version of what happened wasn't accepted by the original examination.

The first investigation found the Army had been shot at first.

Throughout the negotiation period, the administration set up a fresh examination, following pressure by surviving kin, who said the first investigation had been a whitewash.

That year, the conclusion by the inquiry said that on balance, the soldiers had fired first and that zero among the individuals had posed any threat.

At that time government leader, the Prime Minister, expressed regret in the House of Commons – declaring fatalities were "without justification and inexcusable."

Kin of the deceased of the 1972 incident shootings walk from the Bogside area of Derry to the municipal center holding images of their relatives
Families of the victims of the tragic event fatalities march from the neighborhood of Londonderry to the municipal center holding pictures of their family members

Authorities began to investigate the incident.

One former paratrooper, known as the accused, was charged for murder.

He was charged regarding the fatalities of the first individual, twenty-two, and twenty-six-year-old the second individual.

Soldier F was further implicated of attempting to murder multiple individuals, other civilians, further individuals, another person, and an unidentified individual.

Exists a judicial decision maintaining the defendant's identity protection, which his lawyers have argued is essential because he is at danger.

He stated to the Saville Inquiry that he had only fired at individuals who were carrying weapons.

This assertion was rejected in the concluding document.

Material from the investigation was unable to be used directly as testimony in the legal proceedings.

During the trial, the accused was screened from view behind a privacy screen.

He spoke for the initial occasion in the hearing at a proceeding in that month, to respond "not guilty" when the accusations were put to him.

Family members and advocates of the deceased on Bloody Sunday carry a banner and photos of the victims
Family members and advocates of the victims on that day hold a sign and photos of those killed

Family members of those who were killed on Bloody Sunday journeyed from Londonderry to Belfast Crown Court every day of the proceedings.

One relative, whose sibling was died, said they always knew that hearing the case would be emotional.

"I remember the events in my memory," John said, as we visited the primary sites discussed in the proceedings – from the street, where the victim was killed, to the nearby the courtyard, where James Wray and the second person were fatally wounded.

"It reminds me to my location that day.

"I participated in moving Michael and put him in the medical transport.

"I went through the entire event during the proceedings.

"Notwithstanding having to go through everything – it's still worthwhile for me."

One victim (left) and William McKinney (right) were part of who were died on Bloody Sunday
Zachary Myers
Zachary Myers

Tech enthusiast and writer with a passion for emerging technologies and their impact on society.