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January 30th, 1972 is remembered as among the most fatal – and consequential – days in multiple decades of conflict in this area.

Within the community of the incident – the legacy of Bloody Sunday are painted on the structures and etched in collective memory.

A civil rights march was organized on a cold but bright afternoon in Londonderry.

The demonstration was a protest against the policy of internment – imprisoning people without due process – which had been put in place after an extended period of violence.

Military personnel from the elite army unit killed 13 people in the Bogside area – which was, and remains, a strongly nationalist area.

One image became particularly prominent.

Images showed a religious figure, Fr Edward Daly, waving a bloodied white handkerchief as he tried to protect a assembly transporting a youth, Jackie Duddy, who had been fatally wounded.

Media personnel recorded extensive video on the day.

The archive features the priest explaining to a media representative that troops "just seemed to shoot indiscriminately" and he was "completely sure" that there was no provocation for the gunfire.

This account of the incident was rejected by the initial investigation.

The first investigation concluded the soldiers had been shot at first.

Throughout the resolution efforts, Tony Blair's government established a new investigation, following pressure by bereaved relatives, who said the first investigation had been a inadequate investigation.

During 2010, the conclusion by Lord Saville said that generally, the military personnel had discharged weapons initially and that zero among the casualties had posed any threat.

The then head of state, the Prime Minister, expressed regret in the government chamber – stating fatalities were "improper and unjustifiable."

Authorities began to examine the events.

An ex-soldier, referred to as the accused, was charged for homicide.

Accusations were made over the deaths of the first individual, twenty-two, and 26-year-old another victim.

The defendant was additionally charged of trying to kill multiple individuals, Joseph Friel, Joe Mahon, another person, and an unknown person.

Exists a judicial decision protecting the veteran's anonymity, which his lawyers have maintained is essential because he is at threat.

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

This assertion was disputed in the final report.

Material from the investigation was unable to be used directly as evidence in the criminal process.

In court, the accused was screened from view behind a blue curtain.

He made statements for the initial occasion in the hearing at a proceeding in December 2024, to reply "not responsible" when the allegations were presented.

Kin of the victims on Bloody Sunday made the trip from the city to Belfast Crown Court daily of the proceedings.

A family member, whose relative was fatally wounded, said they always knew that hearing the case would be emotional.

"I remember all details in my mind's eye," John said, as we visited the main locations referenced in the case – from Rossville Street, where Michael was killed, to the adjacent the area, where James Wray and another victim were died.

"It returns me to my location that day.

"I helped to carry Michael and lay him in the vehicle.

"I experienced again each detail during the proceedings.

"Notwithstanding having to go through all that – it's still meaningful for me."