Lynch said in his verdict that he was satisfied that soldiers had lost all sense of military discipline and opened fire with intent to kill and that those responsible should hang their heads in shame. But he said the case fell short of the burden of proof. Delay has, in my view, seriously hampered the capacity of the defence to test the veracity and accuracy of the hearsay statements, he said.
A Sunday in January 1972 marked one of the blackest days of the Troubles. On the penultimate day of the month, thousands of civil rights demonstrators took to the streets of Derry. The protest had been banned by the Stormont government and there was a heavy presence of soldiers and police officers. After skirmishes between local youths and the British army - soldiers moved in to make arrests. Shortly afterwards, members of the Parachute Regiment began to open fire.
