Bloody Sunday soldier found not guilty of murders

A former paratrooper, referred to as Soldier F, has been found not guilty of two murders and five attempted murders stemming from the events of Bloody Sunday in 1972. The judge, Patrick Lynch, stated that the evidence presented in the non-jury trial was insufficient for a conviction. Soldier F was accused of murdering James Wray and William McKinney, and attempting to murder five others, during a civil rights demonstration in Derry where members of the Parachute Regiment opened fire on unarmed civilians. The court heard evidence over four weeks, including statements from two other veterans, Soldiers G and H, which formed the sole evidence against Soldier F. Judge Lynch explained that the crown failed to prove Soldier F was knowingly and intentionally assisting in the shootings with intent to kill, or that he was shooting himself with that intent. He highlighted difficulties in relying on the hearsay statements from Soldiers G and H, noting that delay had significantly hindered the defense's ability to test their veracity and accuracy. The judge described the incident as a breakdown of military discipline by some members of the Parachute Regiment, who fired upon unarmed civilia... download the app to read more