On 27 December 1994 the USAF announced that Santarelli, an F-15 pilot, had dismissed the charges against May and had decided not to pursue criminal disciplinary actions against any other OPC personnel under his legal jurisdiction, including Wickson, Pilkington, Emery, Richardson, and O'Brien.
Detective Superintendent Phil Bladen, the head of Staffordshire Police's professional standards department, said: "We thoroughly investigate all such cases and take proportionate criminal or disciplinary action when necessary".
It was unclear whether the district attorney's office or prosecutors who handled the case could face any civil, criminal or disciplinary action.
Independence at the outset of such investigations is vital to assuage public concerns about cover-ups, lost evidence and subsequent decisions on criminal and disciplinary action.
"The ministry emphasises that following a thorough investigation by the inspector general of the ministry, it was determined that there had been no criminal or disciplinary wrongdoing and that the issue related to a breach of security protocol.
An official inquiry into the tragedy identified many blunders in the government's handling of the incident, and recommended that criminal or disciplinary action be taken against culpable officials.
Figures from 38 of the 43 forces in England and Wales, obtained by The Guardian, show that 169 police officers and support staff are under criminal or disciplinary investigation for sexual offences.
Sergeant Koval said the two Newark officers had not been charged with a crime, but they had been reassigned to administrative posts, and they could face criminal or disciplinary charges.
Paddick defended himself against the criminal and disciplinary charges involved, and sued the Mail on Sunday and Melanie Phillips (author of some of the most virulent articles), resulting in substantial out-of-court settlements.
These actions come as more than 1,200 academics are already under some form of criminal or disciplinary investigation for signing a petition calling for renewed peace negotiations with the Kurds.
If a new coroner is appointed, he is expected to liaise with the families over whether a new inquest should proceed before any criminal or disciplinary charges that may arise.
