British army veteran known as Soldier F not guilty of Bloody Sunday murders

A British army veteran, referred to as Soldier F, has been found not guilty of murder and attempted murder charges related to Bloody Sunday in 1972. The killings occurred when the Parachute regiment shot 13 unarmed civil rights protesters in Derry. The judge stated that prosecutors failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, citing the passage of time and the unreliability of key witness testimonies. The verdict has led to contrasting reactions. Families of the victims expressed that justice has been denied, while supporters of Soldier F hailed the end of what they described as a witch-hunt. The trial, which did not involve a jury, focused on the individual guilt of Soldier F for the murders of James Wray and William McKinney and the attempted murder of five others. While the judge acknowledged that paratroopers had lost military discipline and shot fleeing civilians, the legal case against Soldier F relied on hearsay evidence from two fellow soldiers whose testimony was deemed unreliable due to the significant delay since the events. This lack of reliable, testable evidence led to the acquittal. Northern Ireland's first minister described the verdict as deeply disappointing, highlighting that despite a previous inquiry finding soldiers shot civilians who posed no threat and that a cover-up occurred, no British soldiers or their su... download the app to read more