The family of Lyra McKee said the justice system had “completely failed” them after three men were found not guilty of murdering the journalist in Derry in 2019. Jordan Devine, 25, Paul McIntyre, 58, and Peter Cavanagh, 38, were cleared at Belfast Crown Court on Friday. The trial, held without a jury, heard none of them fired the fatal shot but were accused of engaging in a joint enterprise to encourage the gunman.
McKee, 29, died after being hit by a bullet while observing rioting in the Creggan area on 18 April 2019. The New IRA claimed responsibility. Prosecutors argued the men orchestrated the violence that led to her death, but the defence said the case rested on “pure speculation”. Judge Mrs Justice Smyth ruled the evidence fell short of the required standard.
Speaking outside court, McKee’s sister Nichola Corner said the verdict was a “complete and utter shock” and called for an end to the “culture of silence” in Northern Ireland. “Over 150 people witnessed this event; not one came forward with evidence. That culture of silence needs to stop,” she said. Corner vowed to continue fighting for justice, quoting her sister: “If you’re going to go down, go down fighting.”
The judge acknowledged the “senseless violence” of McKee’s murder and expressed regret that the trial brought little comfort. Reporters Without Borders urged authorities to pursue all legal avenues to establish accountability. McKee’s killing sparked international condemnation and pressure to restore Northern Ireland’s powersharing institutions.
