THE family of a father-of-12 has asked why it took three months for a bullet found in his exhumed body to be passed on to forensics experts.
The body of Joseph Murphy, who died 13 days after he was shot in west Belfast in August 1971, was exhumed in October due to conflicting medical evidence from the time.
An examination later found a bullet in the body of the 41-year-old, who was injured during what became known as the 'Ballymurphy massacre'.
Mr Murphy's daughter Janet Donnelly, who was eight when her father was killed, questioned why it had taken so long for the bullet to be sent for forensic examination.
"The report I received last week said that the bullet wasn't passed over (to forensics) until January 29. My father was exhumed on October 26/27 - that's three months," she said.
"I think it's totally unacceptable and questions need to be asked why it was not passed on when they knew that the family was waiting to re-bury him.
"We had Christmas with my Daddy lying in the morgue."
Ms Donnelly said the report confirmed that the bullet, found under her father's pubic bone, came from a "military-type weapon".
However, she said she will request a full report and is also considering if further tests need to be carried out.
"The report does not say exactly what tests they did," she said.
"Until I get a fuller report and see if tests need to be done, we can't re-bury him.
"He was failed the first time around. I want everything done that can be done this time."
Mr Murphy's family believe he was shot twice in the leg - once at Ballymurphy and then at the Henry Taggart Memorial Hall, then being used as a barracks.
British soldiers from the Parachute Regiment shot dead a total of 10 people in Ballymurphy over three days following the introduction of internment.
The victims included mother-of-eight Joan Connolly and a priest, Fr Hugh Mullan.
Another man died of a heart attack following an alleged violent confrontation with soldiers.
