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Three men found not guilty in Lyra McKee murder trial

journalismJul 3, 202614200

A judge at Belfast Crown Court has found Paul McIntyre, 58, Peter Cavanagh, 38, and Jordan Gareth Devine, 25, not guilty of the murder of journalist Lyra McKee. The non-jury trial examined events in the Creggan area of Derry on April 18 2019, when McKee, 29, was hit by a bullet while standing close to police vehicles as she observed rioting. The prosecution said the three men had accompanied a lone gunman that night and encouraged or assisted him under a joint enterprise theory. The New IRA claimed responsibility for McKee's death after chaotic scenes that included petrol bombs, a car set on fire, and four shots fired towards officers. Defence barristers criticised the mostly circumstantial nature of the evidence. Ms Justice Smyth is continuing to deliver judgment on other charges in the long-running trial.

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