British ex-soldier acquitted of murder charges in 1972 Northern Ireland massacre

A former British paratrooper who was the only soldier ever charged in the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre in Northern Ireland was acquitted Thursday of murder charges

A former British paratrooper who was the only soldier ever charged in the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre in Northern Ireland was acquitted Thursday of murder charges.

Judge Patrick Lynch ruled at Belfast Crown Court that prosecutors failed to prove that the veteran identified only as "Soldier F" had opened fire with intent to kill on unarmed civilians who were running to safety.

The former lance corporal had been charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of James Wray, 22, and William McKinney, 27, and five counts of attempted murder.

Prosecutors said that he fired at fleeing demonstrators on Jan. 30, 1972 in Londonderry, also known as Derry. 13 people were killed and 15 others were wounded in the massacre, the deadliest shooting of the period known as "The Troubles."

While the judge in the nonjury trial said that the evidence presented against the veteran fell well short of what was required for conviction, he said that soldiers from the Parachute Regiment on duty that day "had totally lost all sense of military discipline."