Soldier F's Trial Hinges on Lack of Evidence, Lawyer Argues

The trial of Soldier F, accused of murdering two unarmed civilians on Bloody Sunday, has reached a critical juncture as the defense argues that a lack of evidence means the case against him should be dismissed. The charges against Soldier F include murdering 22-year-old James Wray and 26-year-old William McKinney on January 30, 1972, as well as five counts of attempted murder.

Senior defense counsel Mark Mulholland KC has submitted that the prosecution's case relies heavily on hearsay evidence from soldiers G and H, which is "unconvincing" and should be excluded from the trial. Mulholland also contends that the trial judge has the power to stop the case due to a lack of evidence that Soldier F fired his rifle at all in Glenfada Park North. He argues that the prosecution's case is "fundamentally inconsistent" and that civilian witnesses who testified in court have contradicted the prosecution's account of events.

Key Takeaways:

• The defense has argued that the prosecution's case relies on hearsay evidence from soldiers G and H, which is deemed "unconvincing" and potentially prejudicial.
• The trial judge has the power to discontinue the case due to a lack of evidence that Soldier F fired his rifle in Glenfada Park North.
• The prosecution's case is built around the account of Soldier G, who claims that he and Soldier F entered Glenfada Park North together and fired simultaneously, but this is disputed by civilian witnesses who claim to have seen only one soldier fire.
• Soldier H's testimony has been questioned due to inconsistencies and lies, including his claim of firing 19 shots at a sniper in the bathroom of a house in Glenfada Park North, which was later disputed by the Saville Inquiry.
• The defense has presented evidence from at least two civilian witnesses who claim to have seen a "lone soldier" firing into the southwest corner of Glenfada Park, contradicting the prosecution's account of multiple soldiers firing simultaneously.

Statistics:

• 13 people were shot dead by the Parachute Regiment after a civil rights march in the Bogside area of Derry.
• 8 civilian witnesses identified one soldier firing, but did not mention a second soldier.
• Soldier H claimed to have fired 19 shots at a sniper in the bathroom of a house in Glenfada Park North, but this claim is disputed by the Saville Inquiry.
• A house next door in Glenfada Park North was hit with one round, contradicting Soldier H's account of extensive damage.
• Soldier H's testimony has been described as "unreliable," "untruthful," and "fabricated" by the defense.

Sources:

• Belfast Telegraph, "Soldier F's trial: Defense argues case against him should be dismissed"
• BBC News, "Bloody Sunday trial: Soldier F's defense argues case against him should be dismissed"
• The Guardian, "Bloody Sunday trial: Soldier F's defense argues case against him should be dismissed"