Combat veterans will attest to the fact that soldiers, when confronted with a situation they perceive to be life or death, routinely empty their clips at the enemy. It is a knee-jerk reaction for those in combat. I feel this verdict was wrong, I feel there is no excuse for 41 bullets. Many will come away from this trial feeling that justice was served. The only way to prevent a similar occurrence is to provide better training facilities and enact more competent patrol procedures within the department.
Every case is different - it's as simple as that.
To compare one case versus another is like apples and oranges. No - that is an excellent question. From what I saw of the prosecution in this case, they tried their best and seemed to act very much above board, yet zealously. I believe the defense did an excellent job, and I believe the facts supported their contention that this was a tragedy and not a crime. It depends on the country, but I believe that most citizens of free countries harbor the basic notions of fairness and common sense.