There is no definitive cause for the capsizing of the SS Eastland which claimed 844 lives. The dominant belief is that the ship had many structural flaws. It was overloaded with life boats as a result of the Titanic's sinking three years earlier. It had no keel and its ballast system was faulty. That morning it was overloaded with at least 2,500 people on board. The story also is around that most of the people rushed to one side.
Lawyers from Marshall Law School have teamed up to analyze the information from a modern legal perspective. One challenge is to determine what kind of a trial it should be. To use modern civil law would be extremely complicated. Today, you would have gone after Western Electric, but they didn't sponsor the boat ride; it was an employee who organized it.
They decided the case was best suited for involuntary manslaughter against the Eastland owners. That is when somebody unintentionally kills someone likely to cause death or great bodily harm.. Attorney Bob Clifford said that the owners knew the ship was ill-prepared for its voyage but didn't do anything about it. The Eastland was actually certified for service but had quite a history of being unstable.
Six jurors will decide the case and audience members will be able to vote on the outcome.
Wonder What The Verdict Was?
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