Three men accused of the killing of Northern Irish journalist Lyra McKee were acquitted at Belfast Crown Court on Thursday, concluding a trial that extended over two years due to its complex legal proceedings.

Peter Cavanagh, 37, Jordan Gareth Devine, 25, and Paul McIntyre, 58, faced charges of joint enterprise murder in connection with McKee’s death in April 2019. The charge implied that all three were allegedly involved in an attack leading to the journalist’s killing, although none was specifically accused of firing the fatal shot.

McKee, 29, was shot in the head while reporting on a confrontation between dissident republicans and police in Londonderry, Northern Ireland’s second-largest city. The incident drew widespread condemnation and highlighted ongoing tensions linked to paramilitary activity in the region. The New IRA, a dissident republican splinter group, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The trial, conducted by a judge without a jury, did not run continuously but spanned more than two years due to its intricate legal nature. Upon the announcement of their not guilty verdicts, the three defendants showed little reaction.

Following the verdict, McKee’s sister, Nichola Corner, expressed deep dissatisfaction with the outcome, stating that the justice system had “completely failed” her family. The acquittal underscores the challenges faced by authorities in prosecuting cases tied to paramilitary violence in Northern Ireland.