Three men from Derry have been acquitted of the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, who was fatally shot in April 2019 while observing rioting in the Creggan area. The verdict, delivered on Friday at Belfast Crown Court, has been described as 'heartbreaking' by McKee's friends.
Details of the Trial
Jordan Devine, 25, Paul McIntyre, 58, and Peter Cavanagh, 38, were all cleared of murder charges. The trial, which began in May 2024, was presided over by Mrs Justice Smyth without a jury. Prosecutors argued that the three men were engaged in a joint enterprise to encourage and assist the gunman, though none fired the fatal shot. In February, the judge rejected a defence application that there was no case to answer due to insufficient evidence.
The Incident
McKee, 29, from Belfast, was standing near police vehicles while observing rioting in the Creggan area on 18 April 2019 when she was struck by a bullet. The New IRA claimed responsibility for the killing. The violence included petrol bombs thrown at police and a car set on fire, culminating in four shots fired towards officers. The prosecution described the shooting as a 'culmination of orchestrated violence' on a suburban street in Derry.
Reaction and Impact
McKee's killing prompted widespread condemnation and grief, extending beyond Northern Ireland globally. It pressured politicians to resume stalled talks to restore the suspended powersharing institutions at Stormont. Notable figures at her funeral included then Irish President Michael D. Higgins, then UK Prime Minister Theresa May, and then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
McKee's Legacy
Originally from Belfast, McKee had moved to Derry to live with her partner Sara Canning. Her book 'Angels with Blue Faces,' about a Troubles-era murder, was published posthumously. She gained prominence in 2014 with a blog post titled 'Letter to my 14-year-old self,' discussing her struggles growing up gay in Belfast, later adapted into a short film. The National Union of Journalists hailed her as one of the most promising journalists in Northern Ireland.
