This trend to sue everyone, knowing the law is currently on the side of the criminal, MUST stop.
Of course Ed did not deliberately copy the Marvin Gaye song.
Of course we are all influenced by past music.
Of course when False Allegations succeed in court, winning loadsacash for liars, criminals and crooks, they should NOT allow further blackmail crimes against the innocent, though convicted, victims.
This is not just a plagiarism problem.
Society itself is falling apart.

Wasn't Status Quo who said 'There are 12 notes in a bar and one day some will put them in the right order?'

Had a bit row with my friend who is Beatles obsessed (God knows why) when I mentioned that I could hear the similarities between He's So Fine and My Sweet Lord, he wasn't having any of it.

Didn't George Harrison say it himself that it was close?

No - when the Judge heard my version of He's So Fine in court, he awarded the case to the Chiffons and George never spoke to me again.

The Judge came to the right conclusion IMHO.