3 acquitted of 2019 murder of Irish journalist Lyra McKee shot while covering Northern Ireland riots

Three men accused in the 2019 murder of Irish journalist Lyra McKee have been acquitted, a verdict that has left her family devastated. The non-jury trial in Northern Ireland was one of the longest in recent history.

Prosecutors had alleged that Peter Cavanagh, Jordan Gareth Devine, and Paul McIntyre acted with the gunman who fatally shot McKee, either encouraging or assisting him. However, none of the acquitted men were accused of firing the shot that killed the 29-year-old journalist.

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an act of senseless violence

McKee was killed on April 18, 2019, while observing clashes between police and rioters in Londonderry. The dissident republican group New IRA later claimed responsibility, but the gunman has never been identified or brought to justice. The prosecution's case relied on extensive video, mobile phone, and forensic evidence.

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The system has completely failed Lyra, our family and Northern Ireland. We will leave no stone unturned. This is not over. Lyra said if you're going to go down, go down fighting, and that's exactly what we'll do.

Delivering the verdicts, Mrs Justice Smyth acknowledged the outcome would offer little comfort to McKee's family, describing her killing as "an act of senseless violence." She noted that the person who fired the fatal shot had never faced justice. Outside court, McKee's sister, Nichola Corner, called the verdict a "complete and utter shock" and accused the justice system of failing her family and Northern Ireland. "We will leave no stone unturned. This is not over," she stated, vowing to continue fighting.

Corner also criticized a "culture of silence," noting that despite over 150 witnesses, crucial information had not come forward. The Public Prosecution Service defended its decision to prosecute, stating the legal threshold was met, while the Police Service of Northern Ireland said it would consider the implications of the verdicts. The National Union of Journalists expressed concern that no one has been held accountable for McKee's killing.

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it remained "a matter of grave concern" that the person who pulled the trigger had "gotten off scot-free"