It’s only a civil trial, but at least British Petroleum will face some kind of consequences for the oil spill, beyond half-hearted efforts to just clean up their mess. But whatever happens in this trial will not be enough. When cost cutting decisions cost lives, and this kind of devastation, it is time to move to the criminal courts. If the Department of Justice does not get serious about the crimes of the rich
, paying for worker deaths and toxic spills will just be a cost of doing business.