You are here today, because of a tragedy. On April th 1912, the Gigantic set sail across the Atlantic. The first ship of its kind, the Gigantic accomodated its passengers with everything. On April th, the unthinkable occurred, the largest ocean liner was lost to an iceberg, and with it the lives of ,523 innocent men, women, and children. This naval catastrophe, the largest the world has ever seen, was an avoidable tragedy.

Today, my client J.B. Isman will be painted as woman with reckless ambitions who is at fault for the tragedy of the Gigantic, but the blood is not in her hands. You will hear miss Isman explain her conception of the Gigantic, and how it was the most luxurious boat conceived at that time. How the Gigantic met and exceeded safety guidelines and provided its passengers with the proper preparations for an unforeseeable tragedy. Miss Isman will also share her trust in Captain Smith, how he was well equipped to captain the Gigantic, and how she would never give him orders that would put the Gigantics passengers in danger. She will also share how Lieutenant Hightower had her own reckless agenda, disobeying orders, and putting the Gigantic in danger.

You will hear Lieutenant Hightower explain her actions the night of the tragic sinking, her policy of only taking orders from captain Smith, and how she refused to slow the ship after a direct order from Isman. She will show how she singlehandedly put the lives of over ,000 innocent people in danger, and killed more than half of them.

The burden of proof in today's trial rests in the hands of the prosecution. They must convince you beyond a reasonable doubt that Miss Isman grossly deviated from a standard of care which resulted in the death of over ,500 people. Throughout the trial we will prove that Miss Ismans conduct was consistent with and exceeded the standard of care defined by the Providence Maritime Shipping and Passenger Transport Guidelines.

I stand before you today defending the credibility of the Red Star Line, and my client J.B. Isman. The woman who oversaw the construction of the greatest ship to ever sail the seas. Who provided the Gigantic with all necessary accommodations for travel. Who exceeded the safety requirements and provided more than enough for her passengers. The woman who gave her passengers the opportunity to sail on the most luxurious ocean liner ever conceived. But the Gigantic, and ,523 innocent men, women, and children, were lost, when the careless acts, of Lieutenant C. Hightower, put them all in danger.