The Way the Trial of an Army Veteran Over the 1972 Londonderry Incident Concluded in Case Dismissal

Sunday 30 January 1972 stands as one of the most fatal – and consequential – occasions throughout thirty years of conflict in Northern Ireland.

In the streets where events unfolded – the legacy of that fateful day are painted on the walls and seared in collective memory.

A civil rights march was conducted on a wintry, sunny day in Londonderry.

The march was challenging the system of detention without trial – detaining individuals without due process – which had been implemented following multiple years of violence.

Military personnel from the elite army unit shot dead 13 people in the district – which was, and remains, a strongly nationalist population.

A specific visual became particularly prominent.

Images showed a religious figure, Father Daly, waving a bloodied fabric while attempting to shield a group transporting a youth, the fatally wounded individual, who had been killed.

Media personnel documented much footage on the day.

The archive includes the priest informing a journalist that soldiers "appeared to shoot indiscriminately" and he was "absolutely certain" that there was no provocation for the gunfire.

That version of events was disputed by the original examination.

The first investigation concluded the soldiers had been shot at first.

During the peace process, Tony Blair's government set up a new investigation, following pressure by surviving kin, who said the first investigation had been a whitewash.

That year, the report by the investigation said that generally, the military personnel had initiated shooting and that not one of the casualties had posed any threat.

At that time head of state, the Prime Minister, issued an apology in the Parliament – stating deaths were "without justification and unacceptable."

Law enforcement commenced investigate the events.

An ex-soldier, known as the defendant, was prosecuted for killing.

Indictments were filed concerning the deaths of one victim, twenty-two, and 26-year-old the second individual.

The defendant was additionally charged of attempting to murder Patrick O'Donnell, additional persons, more people, Michael Quinn, and an unnamed civilian.

Exists a court ruling preserving the defendant's identity protection, which his lawyers have maintained is essential because he is at threat.

He told the investigation that he had exclusively discharged his weapon at persons who were armed.

This assertion was rejected in the concluding document.

Information from the investigation could not be used directly as testimony in the legal proceedings.

In court, the accused was screened from view using a protective barrier.

He made statements for the opening instance in the hearing at a hearing in December 2024, to respond "innocent" when the charges were read.

Kin of the victims on the incident travelled from the city to the judicial building every day of the proceedings.

One relative, whose sibling was fatally wounded, said they always knew that listening to the trial would be emotional.

"I can see all details in my recollection," he said, as we examined the main locations mentioned in the case – from the location, where Michael was shot dead, to the adjoining Glenfada Park, where one victim and William McKinney were fatally wounded.

"It returns me to where I was that day.

"I helped to carry the victim and put him in the ambulance.

"I experienced again the entire event during the evidence.

"Notwithstanding experiencing everything – it's still worthwhile for me."