Sugarland plans to be 'honest and open' in Fair collapse deposition

CHARLESTON, W. Va. (WISH) - The lead singer of the band Sugarland appeared on a different stage Thursday in Charleston, W. Va., this time not before fans, but a in front of a group of attorneys. At issue: What did the band Sugarland know the night of the State Fair stage collapse, and what role did the band members play in any decisions?

One by one, half a dozen attorneys filed into the small downtown Summitt Conference building in Charleston, West Virginia. In all, a dozen attorneys were at the deposition, with more watching via video conferencing in South Bend and Indianapolis.

Lead singer arrives

24-Hour News 8 cameras were there as Jennifer Nettles pulled up in a black Suburban and was taken in the back door. She arrived 25 minutes early and got out, never looking over or saying a word. At 3:07 p.m., the four-and-a-half-hour deposition began.

Sources told 24-Hour News 8 Nettles testified that she didn’t know anything about her right to cancel the concert. She said it was not her responsibility, it was the State Fair's.

Attorneys for Mid- America sound asked most of the questions.

Contentious testimony

Attorneys representing the families of those killed or injured the night of Aug. 13 described the deposition.

Attorney Carl Brizzi described it as: “A lot of tension, tedious, a lot going on, with lawyers asking questions. She is obviously on somewhat of a time schedule. We have some of the answers, but many of the questions she was instructed not to answer."

Attorney Tony Patterson said: "We did learn a lot today, and it was not a complete deposition. And we will learn more later, but it was helpful to find out what we did find out today."

Attorney Paul Kruse questioned: "One of the things that still has not come out is why the state wasn’t allowed to cancel the concert. The question was directed to Jennifer Nettles, and there were people in the middle that she knew and trusted."

The victims

So what will attorneys say to those families now?

Brizzi said of his client: "That’s going to be a tough one because she was a huge Sugarland fan before all of this happened, and that enthusiasm is waning."

Nettles silent

Meanwhile, Nettles had nothing to say as she left or when asked: “Anything to say to the fans of Indianapolis?” While she wouldn’t answer that or if she feels any responsibility, attorneys said she was personable but “calm and cool” throughout the deposition, never becoming emotional.

But the band did release two statments Thursday.

“In all the back-and-forth between the lawyers, the suggestion’s been made that we’ve somehow been trying to avoid having to answer questions about last summer’s terrible tragedy,” the country duo said in a statement. “This is simply not true.”

Sugarland’s statement goes on to say that although a judge has put limits on what could be discussed, band members intend to be “as honest and open as we can” because they want all the facts out for the victims and thier loved ones. The band also said it’s important that details are released so “nothing like this ever happens again”

“There is no one who wants to get to the bottom of what happened more than we do, which is why we’re ready, willing, and able to give these depositions today and tomorrow,” the band said.

Later, band spokeman Allan Mayer said: “The fact is that Jennifer and Kristian never told anyone not to delay the concert because of the weather. They care deeply about their fans and, as they’ve said, nobody wants to get to the bottom of what happened more than they do.”