The Way this Legal Case of an Army Veteran Over Bloody Sunday Ended in Case Dismissal
January 30th, 1972 remains one of the deadliest – and momentous – days during thirty years of violence in the region.
In the streets where events unfolded – the legacy of that fateful day are painted on the walls and seared in public consciousness.
A civil rights march was held on a cold but bright day in Derry.
The demonstration was opposing the practice of detention without trial – imprisoning people without trial – which had been established after an extended period of violence.
Soldiers from the specialized division fatally wounded thirteen individuals in the district – which was, and continues to be, a overwhelmingly republican area.
One image became notably iconic.
Images showed a Catholic priest, Father Daly, waving a stained with blood cloth in his effort to shield a group moving a young man, the fatally wounded individual, who had been fatally wounded.
Media personnel documented considerable film on the day.
Historical records contains Father Daly telling a reporter that troops "appeared to discharge weapons randomly" and he was "absolutely certain" that there was no reason for the shooting.
That version of events wasn't accepted by the initial investigation.
The first investigation found the military had been shot at first.
During the negotiation period, the administration established a fresh examination, in response to advocacy by family members, who said the initial inquiry had been a whitewash.
During 2010, the report by the inquiry said that on balance, the soldiers had fired first and that not one of the individuals had been armed.
At that time head of state, the Prime Minister, expressed regret in the Parliament – saying fatalities were "without justification and unjustifiable."
The police began to look into the events.
An ex-soldier, identified as the defendant, was charged for murder.
Accusations were made concerning the fatalities of the first individual, twenty-two, and twenty-six-year-old the second individual.
Soldier F was additionally charged of seeking to harm Patrick O'Donnell, additional persons, more people, Michael Quinn, and an unknown person.
Remains a legal order maintaining the soldier's privacy, which his attorneys have argued is required because he is at threat.
He testified the investigation that he had only fired at people who were possessing firearms.
The statement was disputed in the concluding document.
Information from the investigation could not be used straightforwardly as evidence in the court case.
In the dock, the veteran was shielded from sight using a protective barrier.
He spoke for the initial occasion in the proceedings at a hearing in that month, to answer "not responsible" when the allegations were read.
Family members of the victims on the incident made the trip from Derry to Belfast Crown Court each day of the case.
One relative, whose relative was killed, said they understood that hearing the proceedings would be emotional.
"I can see the events in my mind's eye," he said, as we walked around the key areas referenced in the proceedings – from Rossville Street, where the victim was killed, to the adjoining Glenfada Park, where James Wray and another victim were fatally wounded.
"It reminds me to my location that day.
"I assisted with the victim and put him in the medical transport.
"I relived the entire event during the testimony.
"Despite having to go through everything – it's still meaningful for me."