CHAPTER 7: OPENING STATEMENTS

For nearly a week, Daphne and She-Ra spent their days walking through the streets of London. Daphne as she normally does spent her time shopping. She-Ra spent most of her time helping Daphne with the bags. But this was no ordinary shopping trip. Daphne needed new clothes for the trial. Daphne also wanted to get She-Ra some new clothes for the trial as well.

At first She-Ra felt that her normal costume was appropriate enough. But Daphne knew the judge wouldn't understand a tall, attractive woman appearing in a court of law half-dressed. She-Ra's normal costume is revealing to say the least. But Daphne had a good point and got She-Ra some new clothes anyway just in case.

Mr. Fitzgerald got word that the Pacific Princess was finished with its maintenance and was ready to embark. The next day, Mr. Fitzgerald, Daphne, and She-Ra boarded a train for Liverpool. From there, the ship set sail and stopped once it hit international waters. The ship went twenty-five miles away from the British Coast and out of the boundaries of the Irish Sea.

The next morning, the trial was about to begin. A good crowd was on hand to see the proceedings. The media was ready with notepads and tape recorders. Daphne and She-Ra both were as nervous as a pair of long-tailed cats in a room full of rocking chairs. Mr. Fitzgerald looked calm and was ready for anything. Vernon Dimpsey looked confident as he felt that he would prove Daphne and She-Ra guilty of his only daughter's death.

The prosecutor named George Hardcastle was ready to get the proceedings started. The USCFL radio network was finished wiring the courtroom with microphones to get all the action. Then at the stroke of nine o'clock, a man entered the room looking like a Beefeater appeared and said as loud as he could, "Hear ye, here ye, all rise. This court is now in session, captain and judge has entered the courtroom".

The Judge then said, "Please be seated. Good morning ladies and gentlemen, this is a case between the people of The United Kingdom VS Daphne Blake who currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia USA and She-Ra Princess of Power who resides in Richmond, Virginia USA. At this time, I will hear opening remarks from both attorneys."

At that moment, Mr. Hardcastle got up and said, "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I'm George Hardcastle prosecutor for this trial. This is more or less an open and shut case. A grieving father brought this case to trial for the defendants' two young, attractive ladies had a jealous row with the deceased. We will prove that they planned to murder Verona Dimpsey in an attempt to keep her quiet. It worked as Verona has been forever silenced.

The murder happened a little over a year ago aboard this very ship. Even the captain sitting next to the Judge had dismissed this after Verona was killed. Miss Blake delivered the fatal blow due to watching her co-defendant do the same on videotape. Hundreds of spectators watched as they fought it out on The Promenade Deck. Nothing was done to stop Miss Blake from fighting the deceased. You may be asking yourselves, 'What part did She-Ra play in all this?' Well, I am going to tell you right now. The evidence at this trial will indicate that She-Ra told Daphne, 'Go get her, Lucky.' These four little words both implicated and incriminated her. Super heroes like to dedicate their lives to upholding truth, justice, and the American way. Did She-Ra adhere to these ideas in this case? Hardly, the evidence at this trial will show that She-Ra instead engaged in a manifesto of lies, injustice, and violent death. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, it is your civil duty as subjects of the British Crown to find these Americans guilty of murder in the second degree and be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Thank you."

Moments later, Mr. Fitzgerald stood up and said, "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I'm J. Henry Fitzgerald defense attorney for this case. The only thing that I agree with the prosecution about that this will be an open and shut case, only difference will be that my clients will be found innocent.

These co-defendants both have a reputation to fighting injustice in their own ways. Daphne Blake makes up one fifth of America's most successful mystery solving team and She-Ra is a super heroine who has spent years fighting evil doers with more powers than Superman. Both took part last year in a goodwill tour put together by The United States Cartoon Football League or USCFL for short. In 2005, the league celebrated its Silver Anniversary season with this tour.

This tour was going relatively well until they reached Providence, Rhode Island where Bart Simpson was nearly killed in a skateboarding accident. She-Ra discovered that the axles on the skateboard were tampered with. Then in Boston, Massachusetts, Daphne was kidnapped from her hotel room and held captive by the deceased. She-Ra and the rest of the group found Daphne in a suburban Boston home bound and gagged.

While in Indianapolis, Indiana, an old friend of Daphne's was badly beaten by a man paid by the deceased to attempt to do Daphne harm but failed. In Las Vegas, Nevada, She-Ra was nearly killed in a car accident in which her date that evening lost his life. The deceased paid a man to get good and drunk, drive and deliberately struck and killed the innocent bystander who dropped She-Ra off at Caesars Palace just ten minutes before.

Then onboard this very ship, Daphne found an old friend who she introduced to She-Ra to keep her company while at sea. But She-Ra fell in love with the young man. There was a jealous confrontation, but with the co-defendants and not with the deceased. Then Miss Dimpsey abducted the young man after a show he was commissioned to do while on board.

Daphne found Verona on the Promenade Deck and confronted her. There was an exchange of words and both agreed to settle it by fighting for the young man's freedom. Daphne only intended to rough her up a little bit but under no circumstances kill the deceased. Miss Dimpsey went overboard and died on impact with the water.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the true injustice here was Verona's unbelievable acts against my clients. The prosecution may make Verona look like an innocent victim, but in reality was the guilty party in question. In fact, the deceased engaged in a pattern of lies and deceptions long before she even met the defendants. I will introduce several witnesses who will testify to such, including a young man who was framed for cocaine possession just for his wanting a date with her. But She-Ra had nothing to do with her death and Miss Blake was only defending herself. After all is said and done here, you will agree that Verona's death was in self-defense only. Thank you for your time."

END OF CHAPTER 7