Arabic version: براءة ثلاثة رجال في محاكمة قتل ليرا مككي

Three men accused of murdering journalist Lyra McKee in Northern Ireland more than seven years ago have been found not guilty. McKee, 29, was shot in April 2019 while observing disturbances in the Creggan area of Londonderry. The New IRA, a dissident republican group, claimed responsibility for her death.

The defendants—Peter Cavanagh, 38, of Mary Street in Derry, Jordan Gareth Devine, 25, of Bishop Street, and Paul McIntyre, 58, of Kells Walk—faced a joint enterprise murder charge, although none were accused of firing the fatal shot. The prosecution alleged that they assisted a gunman during the incident. However, the defense argued that the case relied heavily on speculation.

According to BBC News, the prosecution’s case included footage from MTV recorded on the day of the murder, although the camera crew had left before the shooting occurred. The non-jury trial opened in May 2024 and ended this April, making it one of the longest in recent times in Northern Ireland.

Following the verdict, Lyra McKee’s sister expressed her shock, stating that the system had failed her family and the community. The judge noted that the outcome would provide little comfort to McKee’s loved ones, emphasizing that the gunman responsible for her murder had not been brought to justice.