This was only a matter of time, but it looks like this ugly chapter is closed, at least as far as the public record is concerned. Baltimore prosecutors, some of whom are facing professional discipline for their handling of the case, have announced that they are dropping all charges against the remaining officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray.

Meanwhile, as far as the non-public record is concerned, this case will likely continue to fester in the Baltimore area and beyond. Some will view it as evidence that claims of police brutality are widely overblown, while others will view it as evidence that juries and the legal system will never convict police of brutality, and around and around we will all go.

Either way, it’s clear that chasing this particular case down the rabbit hole was not the right decision from the legal perspective, even if lingering questions will always remain.