How the Trial of an Army Veteran Over the 1972 Londonderry Incident Ended in Not Guilty Verdict

Sunday 30 January 1972 is remembered as one of the most deadly – and significant – occasions in three decades of violence in this area.

Throughout the area of the incident – the images of Bloody Sunday are painted on the structures and embedded in people's minds.

A civil rights march was conducted on a cold but bright day in Derry.

The protest was opposing the system of detention without trial – holding suspects without legal proceedings – which had been established in response to three years of unrest.

Troops from the specialized division fatally wounded multiple civilians in the Bogside area – which was, and continues to be, a predominantly nationalist community.

A particular photograph became notably iconic.

Pictures showed a religious figure, the priest, displaying a bloodied white handkerchief as he tried to shield a crowd transporting a young man, the injured teenager, who had been killed.

Journalists documented extensive video on the day.

The archive contains the priest informing a reporter that troops "appeared to discharge weapons randomly" and he was "absolutely certain" that there was no provocation for the shooting.

This account of the incident was disputed by the initial investigation.

The Widgery Tribunal determined the military had been shot at first.

Throughout the resolution efforts, the ruling party established a fresh examination, following pressure by surviving kin, who said the first investigation had been a inadequate investigation.

In 2010, the conclusion by the inquiry said that generally, the soldiers had discharged weapons initially and that not one of the individuals had been armed.

The then government leader, David Cameron, issued an apology in the Parliament – saying fatalities were "unjustified and unacceptable."

Law enforcement commenced examine the events.

A military veteran, known as the defendant, was charged for killing.

He was charged over the fatalities of one victim, 22, and 26-year-old William McKinney.

Soldier F was further implicated of attempting to murder several people, additional persons, more people, an additional individual, and an unnamed civilian.

Remains a court ruling protecting the soldier's identity protection, which his lawyers have claimed is necessary because he is at risk of attack.

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

This assertion was rejected in the concluding document.

Evidence from the examination was unable to be used straightforwardly as testimony in the criminal process.

In the dock, the accused was screened from view behind a protective barrier.

He spoke for the opening instance in the hearing at a proceeding in that month, to respond "not guilty" when the accusations were read.

Relatives of the deceased on Bloody Sunday made the trip from Derry to the judicial building each day of the case.

A family member, whose relative was killed, said they always knew that listening to the case would be emotional.

"I visualize all details in my mind's eye," John said, as we visited the key areas mentioned in the trial – from the location, where the victim was shot dead, to the adjoining Glenfada Park, where one victim and another victim were died.

"It even takes me back to where I was that day.

"I assisted with my brother and place him in the vehicle.

"I went through each detail during the evidence.

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