Shoes, dropping, everywhere: British prosecutors announced they're charging eight new and very high profile people with criminal phone hacking in the endless News Corp tabloid phone hacking scandal. The biggest names: former News of the World Editors Rebekah Brooks (a top lieutenant and trusted confidante of Rupert Murdoch) and Andy Coulson (who went on to become the spokesman for British prime minister David Cameron). Five other former NOTW editors and reporters were also charged, along with private eye Glenn Mulcaire, who was heavily involved in the phone hacking.

Rebeka Brooks released a statement saying she's innocent: "I am not guilty of these charges...I did not authorize, nor was I aware of, phone hacking under my editorship."

These are the big fish. The only bigger prosecutions now would be members of the Murdoch family. Who, of course, were completely unaware of the routine years-long use of illegal phone hacking to obtain tabloid stories, just like Rebekah Brooks.

[Photo: AP]