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January 30th, 1972 stands as one of the deadliest – and consequential – dates during thirty years of conflict in this area.

In the streets where it happened – the images of Bloody Sunday are displayed on the walls and embedded in collective memory.

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

The protest was opposing the system of detention without trial – holding suspects without due process – which had been implemented in response to multiple years of conflict.

Military personnel from the specialized division fatally wounded thirteen individuals in the neighborhood – which was, and still is, a overwhelmingly Irish nationalist area.

A particular photograph became especially prominent.

Pictures showed a Catholic priest, Father Daly, displaying a blood-stained fabric as he tried to defend a group carrying a young man, the fatally wounded individual, who had been mortally injured.

Media personnel documented considerable film on the day.

The archive includes the priest informing a media representative that soldiers "gave the impression they would discharge weapons randomly" and he was "totally convinced" that there was no provocation for the gunfire.

The narrative of what happened was rejected by the first inquiry.

The initial inquiry found the Army had been shot at first.

During the resolution efforts, the administration commissioned a new investigation, after campaigning by bereaved relatives, who said the initial inquiry had been a inadequate investigation.

During 2010, the findings by Lord Saville said that on balance, the soldiers had discharged weapons initially and that zero among the individuals had posed any threat.

At that time government leader, David Cameron, issued an apology in the Parliament – stating killings were "improper and unacceptable."

Authorities commenced investigate the incident.

An ex-soldier, identified as the defendant, was brought to trial for homicide.

He was charged regarding the killings of one victim, twenty-two, and 26-year-old William McKinney.

The defendant was also accused of trying to kill Patrick O'Donnell, Joseph Friel, further individuals, an additional individual, and an unknown person.

Remains a judicial decision preserving the veteran's anonymity, which his legal team have claimed is required because he is at risk of attack.

He told the examination that he had only fired at individuals who were armed.

This assertion was rejected in the concluding document.

Material from the inquiry would not be used straightforwardly as proof in the court case.

In court, the veteran was hidden from public with a privacy screen.

He spoke for the initial occasion in the hearing at a session in December 2024, to reply "not responsible" when the charges were put to him.

Kin of the victims on Bloody Sunday travelled from Londonderry to the judicial building daily of the trial.

One relative, whose brother Michael was fatally wounded, said they understood that hearing the trial would be emotional.

"I can see the events in my recollection," the relative said, as we examined the main locations referenced in the proceedings – from Rossville Street, where the victim was shot dead, to the adjacent the area, where the individual and another victim were died.

"It returns me to where I was that day.

"I assisted with my brother and place him in the medical transport.

"I relived the entire event during the testimony.

"But even with enduring all that – it's still worthwhile for me."