‘Justice should be served according to the law’

The daughter of a Derry man who was shot and killed on Bloody Sunday, has said that justice should be allowed to take its course.
Bloody Sunday relatives Regina McLaughlin, daughter of Gerard McKinney, and Kay Duddy, sister of Jackie Duddy speaking with the President of the Methodist Church Rev Paul Kingston back in 2010. (Photo Lorcan Doherty / Presseye.com.)Bloody Sunday relatives Regina McLaughlin, daughter of Gerard McKinney, and Kay Duddy, sister of Jackie Duddy speaking with the President of the Methodist Church Rev Paul Kingston back in 2010. (Photo Lorcan Doherty / Presseye.com.)
Bloody Sunday relatives Regina McLaughlin, daughter of Gerard McKinney, and Kay Duddy, sister of Jackie Duddy speaking with the President of the Methodist Church Rev Paul Kingston back in 2010. (Photo Lorcan Doherty / Presseye.com.)

Regina McLaughlin’s father, Gerard McKinney, was among the 13 men and boys shot dead on January 30, 1972. A 14th man died later from injuries he sustained on that day.

Father-of-eight Gerard McKinney (35), had been among those trapped in the Glenfada Park area as he was trying, with a group of others, to get to safety when he was shot at Abbey Park.

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M.r McKinney had raised his hands and shouted “Don’t shoot!” but was shot in the chest just moments later.

The family of Mr McKinney were among those to receive compensation over the killings back in the Autumn of 2018, more than 46 years after Bloody Sunday.

Speaking to the ‘Journal’ yesterday, his daughter Regina, said her family stood in solidarity with all the other Bloody Sunday relatives as they awaited the decision of the Public Prosecution Service on whether there will be any prosecutions.

“We think justice should be served according to the law. We stand with the rest of the families and believe justice should take its course,” she said.

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“I would like those responsible, held responsible for the murders in some form. It has been a long time and I still think the law should be upheld.

“As for jail, we are not going to hold our breath, but I still think they should have their medals stripped from them and should be prosecuted in some form.”

Regina said that her family has forgiven those responsible for her father’s death and added that their lives were not governed by what will happen next week.

“It won’t take them going to jail for us to have peace. We are not bitter,” she said, adding that she had compassion for the children and grandchildren of anyone who may be held accountable for their actions on Bloody Sunday.

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“I don’t want to see them suffering because of what their grandfather or father has done,” she maintained.

Commenting on those responsible for the killings on Bloody Sunday, she added: “If they do not do time and are not prosecuted we are not going to worry about it - you are going to stand before God and you will answer for it.”