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January 30th, 1972 stands as among the deadliest – and consequential – dates during three decades of conflict in Northern Ireland.

Within the community where events unfolded – the legacy of Bloody Sunday are painted on the walls and etched in people's minds.

A public gathering was organized on a chilly yet clear afternoon in Londonderry.

The demonstration was a protest against the policy of detention without trial – holding suspects without legal proceedings – which had been implemented in response to multiple years of violence.

Military personnel from the specialized division fatally wounded 13 people in the neighborhood – which was, and remains, a strongly Irish nationalist community.

A specific visual became especially iconic.

Pictures showed a Catholic priest, Fr Edward Daly, displaying a blood-stained fabric while attempting to protect a assembly transporting a youth, the fatally wounded individual, who had been mortally injured.

Journalists captured extensive video on the day.

The archive features Fr Daly explaining to a journalist that troops "gave the impression they would discharge weapons randomly" and he was "absolutely certain" that there was no justification for the discharge of weapons.

This account of events was disputed by the initial investigation.

The Widgery Tribunal found the Army had been shot at first.

In the peace process, the ruling party established another inquiry, after campaigning by surviving kin, who said the initial inquiry had been a cover-up.

During 2010, the report by the inquiry said that generally, the soldiers had initiated shooting and that not one of the casualties had presented danger.

The contemporary government leader, the Prime Minister, expressed regret in the government chamber – stating fatalities were "unjustified and inexcusable."

Authorities commenced investigate the incident.

One former paratrooper, referred to as the defendant, was prosecuted for murder.

Accusations were made regarding the killings of the first individual, 22, and in his mid-twenties another victim.

The defendant was further implicated of attempting to murder multiple individuals, Joseph Friel, further individuals, Michael Quinn, and an unknown person.

Remains a court ruling preserving the defendant's identity protection, which his lawyers have maintained is necessary because he is at danger.

He told the investigation that he had exclusively discharged his weapon at people who were possessing firearms.

That claim was dismissed in the final report.

Material from the examination could not be used directly as evidence in the court case.

In the dock, the defendant was hidden from public with a blue curtain.

He spoke for the first time in court at a session in that month, to answer "not guilty" when the allegations were presented.

Kin of the victims on that day made the trip from Londonderry to Belfast Crown Court daily of the case.

John Kelly, whose relative was died, said they always knew that attending the proceedings would be difficult.

"I remember the events in my memory," the relative said, as we examined the main locations referenced in the proceedings – from the street, where Michael was killed, to the nearby the courtyard, where one victim and another victim were died.

"It returns me to my position that day.

"I participated in moving Michael and lay him in the medical transport.

"I experienced again the entire event during the evidence.

"But even with experiencing all that – it's still valuable for me."