Court finds former British soldier not guilty in Bloody Sunday murder trial
Summary
A Belfast court found a former British soldier, known as Soldier F, not guilty of murder and attempted murder related to the Bloody Sunday killings in 1972. The decision was met with criticism from victims' families and Northern Ireland's political leader. The court cited delays and challenges with evidence as reasons for the acquittal.Key Facts
- Soldier F was accused of murdering James Wray and William McKinney and attempting to murder five other people during the Bloody Sunday incident in 1972.
- On January 30, 1972, British soldiers shot at least 26 unarmed civilians during a civil rights march in Derry; 14 people died from the shootings.
- The court trial took place in Belfast, and Soldier F was acquitted of all charges.
- Judge Patrick Lynch mentioned that military discipline had broken down, but the case lacked enough evidence to convict.
- The initial 1972 Widgery Tribunal largely cleared the soldiers, but the 2010 Saville Inquiry found there was no justification for the shootings.
- Prosecutors initially decided only one soldier, Soldier F, faced trial due to insufficient evidence against other soldiers.
- Soldier F did not testify in the trial, citing a lack of reliable memory of the events.
- Victims' families and some political figures expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict.
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