One by one, eight men strolled into the dock of Northern Ireland’s largest courtroom for a trial into the murder of journalist Lyra McKee.
Casually dressed in mostly jeans and T-shirts, all remained seated as the clerk asked everyone in Court 12 of Belfast’s Laganside courthouse to “all rise” and stand – as is protocol before the arrival of a judge.
Just one security officer was positioned behind the dock’s glass-panelled screen. There was no visible police presence.
Behind the men, in the public gallery, sat the sister and partner of Ms McKee, along with relatives and friends.
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The 29-year-old Belfast woman was killed after being struck on the head by a bullet as she observed rioting in the Creggan area of Derry on the night of April 18th, 2019.
The New IRA claimed responsibility for her death.
Three of the men charged with Ms McKee’s murder were among those in the dock on Wednesday on what was the fourth day of the non-jury trial; the other five men face a litany of charges including rioting and throwing a petrol bomb. Two other defendants linked to similar offences were not present.
Peter Cavanagh (35) of Mary Street, Derry; Jordan Gareth Devine (23) of Bishop Street, Derry; and Paul McIntyre (56) of Kells Walk, Derry, are standing trial for murder.
Devine sat at the far end of the dock and chewed on the cord of his black and grey hoodie as police officers took the stand and described the moment they heard the “popping” sound of gun shots and the immediate aftermath – when they tried to save Ms McKee’s life by performing CPR in the back of their land rover.
Cavanagh, wearing a grey pullover, and McIntyre, dressed in a white shirt, sat with their arms folded and showed no emotion.
Two other defendants joked with each other at times during the morning’s evidence while another made notes throughout. A third chewed gum.
Video footage from the night – MTV was filming a documentary about dissident republicans – which captured the sound of gunfire and a loud scream was repeatedly shown on two screens in the courtroom.
“It was a horrifying scream,” one retired police officer told Judge Patricia Smyth.
For the first time, the trial was also shown footage of Ms McKee being carried into the back of the police vehicle after officers made the decision that it would be would be quicker to drive her “motionless” body to hospital than wait on an ambulance.
Ms McKee’s sister sat in the gallery with her hands clasped over her mouth as the video was played.
Four police vehicles were stationed at the riot scene and another officer described the moment he saw Ms McKee lying on the ground surrounded by eight to 10 people.
“I heard one person say, ‘she’s been shot’, I heard another say, ‘she’s been hit in the head’. I said to put her in the back of the Land Rover.”
The court heard there was a 100-150 strong crowd of people “including young children” in the area during the disorder when police jeeps were pelted with petrol bombs and bricks.
After the shooting, there was “screaming and wailing”.
The video footage showed members of the public carrying Ms McKee’s body into the back of the police vehicle.
The officer driving it described how they set off “past the burning vehicles and crowd” to Altnagelvin Hospital, a journey that took just under five minutes.
The officer who performed CPR said she wasn’t breathing but they continued “with chest compressions and rescue breaths right until the time we got to Altnagelvin Hospital”.
Ms McKee’s death was confirmed just after she arrived at the hospital.
The trial continues.
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