How the Legal Case of a Former Soldier Over the 1972 Londonderry Incident Concluded in Case Dismissal
Sunday 30 January 1972 stands as arguably the deadliest β and consequential β days during thirty years of conflict in the region.
Within the community where events unfolded β the memories of Bloody Sunday are visible on the buildings and etched in collective memory.
A public gathering was conducted on a wintry, sunny afternoon in Derry.
The march was opposing the system of detention without trial β imprisoning people without due process β which had been established after three years of violence.
Troops from the Parachute Regiment fatally wounded 13 people in the neighborhood β which was, and still is, a strongly nationalist community.
One image became particularly prominent.
Photographs showed a clergyman, Father Daly, using a blood-stained white handkerchief as he tried to shield a group carrying a youth, Jackie Duddy, who had been mortally injured.
News camera operators recorded much footage on the day.
Documented accounts features the priest telling a media representative that troops "gave the impression they would shoot indiscriminately" and he was "totally convinced" that there was no provocation for the discharge of weapons.
The narrative of what happened was disputed by the first inquiry.
The Widgery Tribunal determined the Army had been shot at first.
Throughout the resolution efforts, the ruling party set up another inquiry, after campaigning by bereaved relatives, who said the first investigation had been a whitewash.
That year, the findings by the inquiry said that overall, the military personnel had initiated shooting and that not one of the victims had presented danger.
The then Prime Minister, David Cameron, apologised in the government chamber β stating fatalities were "unjustified and unjustifiable."
Authorities commenced examine the matter.
A military veteran, referred to as Soldier F, was charged for murder.
He was charged regarding the fatalities of James Wray, in his twenties, and 26-year-old another victim.
Soldier F was further implicated of trying to kill Patrick O'Donnell, other civilians, Joe Mahon, another person, and an unknown person.
Exists a judicial decision maintaining the veteran's privacy, which his legal team have maintained is essential because he is at danger.
He told the investigation that he had solely shot at individuals who were armed.
That claim was dismissed in the final report.
Evidence from the inquiry could not be used immediately as proof in the legal proceedings.
During the trial, the defendant was hidden from public with a blue curtain.
He made statements for the opening instance in court at a session in that month, to reply "innocent" when the accusations were read.
Relatives of the victims on that day journeyed from Londonderry to the courthouse daily of the trial.
John Kelly, whose sibling was killed, said they understood that listening to the case would be difficult.
"I visualize everything in my mind's eye," John said, as we examined the main locations referenced in the trial β from the location, where Michael was fatally wounded, to the adjacent the area, where the individual and the second person were fatally wounded.
"It reminds me to where I was that day.
"I participated in moving the victim and place him in the ambulance.
"I relived the entire event during the proceedings.
"Notwithstanding having to go through everything β it's still valuable for me."