Or, are inquests to provide the "appearance" of transparency into law enforcement actions so it will appear that the public may have all the facts? How can you expect an honest review when the players - judge (came up through the legal guild as a prosecutor partnering with police), prosecution (it's clear that no one is being prosecuted here), attorneys expert in defending cops, city government (trying to avoid an expensive settlement), and police (don't want to be held criminally accountable) - are all playing on the same team. No one is working on behalf of the deceased, except maybe the "lay" jurors, hamstrung as they will be? This just adds to the mythology that we're about fairness and justice and truth. We're not. We're about wielding naked power.  As Judge Mahoney is quoted in this piece: "...we want the appearances of this to the public to be as open and fair of a process as possible...". It's about appearances. This is kabuki theater.