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Judge Acquits 3 in Death of Journalist Killed Watching Riot
Newser • • world
Key Points:
- Three men—Jordan Devine, Paul McIntyre, and Peter Cavanagh—were acquitted of the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, who was shot during rioting in Derry in April 2019, in a non-jury trial at Belfast Crown Court.
- The prosecution argued the men helped or encouraged the gunman but accepted none fired the fatal shot; the judge ruled the evidence insufficient for conviction, calling the killing "an act of senseless violence."
- McKee's sister criticized a "culture of silence" among over 150 witnesses who did not provide key evidence, expressing that the justice system failed her family and Northern Ireland.
- The New IRA claimed responsibility, stating one of its members accidentally shot McKee while aiming at police; human rights groups urge continued investigation to prevent impunity in journalist killings.
- Lyra McKee was a prominent Northern Irish reporter documenting the legacy of paramilitary violence and was seen as an influential voice on the region's troubled history.
