So it was just one of those things?

The coroner in the de Menezes inquest has ruled that the jury cannot return a verdict of "unlawful killing". This means that he is satisfied as a matter of law, that there is insufficient evidence that any crime has been committed by any individual. Whilst it is pretty clear that the shooting was the result of a tragic cock-up, not to allow the jury to consider whether that cock-up was serious enough to possibly amount to corporate manslaughter by gross negligence would seem perverse. It is difficult to escape the conclusion that the decision has been taken on high that the whole thing should be treated as an unfortunate accident and the case closed. It is shameful that nobody apparently has got the guts to hold their hands up and accept at least some responsibility for the unwarranted death of this unfortunate man.