Sugarland singer answers Fair questions

CHARLESTON, W. Va. (WISH) - An attorney representing victims from the Chicago area released the video deposition of Sugarland frontwoman Jennifer Nettles on Monday. Nettles answered questions in connection with the stage rigging collapse at the Indiana State Fair on Aug. 13.

• Click through the videos above to watch the full portion of the deposition that was released Monday.

24-Hour News 8 was the only Indianapolis station in Merrillville when the videotaped deposition was released Monday by an attorney representing six of the injured victims.

When Attorney Ken Allen asked Nettles: "If that sound and lighting equipment fell, you knew you or anyone on or near the stage could be killed?"

She replied: "But not more so than any other concert."

Allen then asked, "Is it your position neither you nor your management had any responsibility for the safety of your fans?"

Nettles replied, "Yes. Typically we are invited to come in to a place and play. It’s not our place - I don't feel it's my responsibility or that of my management - to evacuate the fans in the case of danger."

Then, after a long pause, she added: "Do I care about their safety? Absolutely."

When Allen pressed, asking "Do you care enough to postpone the event on Aug. 13? Did you care enough to postpone?" Nettles replied, "I didn't know about it, and it's not my responsiblity."

Questioning then turned to fans waiting for the show to start.

"If they were told we were going on at 8:45 p.m., barring any other information they had been given, it would make sense for them to wait until 8:45 p.m.."

Allen then questions: "Are you blaming your fans for waiting until your show began instead of leaving?"

Nettles shook her head and said: " No of course not."

Then Allen questioned her about the risk of electrical shock performing in lightning and rain.

Nettles explained: "If I am performing in the weather, that is in the back of my mind. I don’t ruminate on what weather would effect. I, uh, don't think, ‘Oh, what's the worse thing that can happen here?’"

Allen then asked: "Right, but that's in the back of your mind?"

Nettles responded, "It's also in the back of my mind if I walk across the street I might get hit by a car, but I don't actually really think about it."

She said she never heard an announcement made on stage moments before that the concert would continue.

Allen then asked: "You knew you would be paid by the Indiana State Fair as long as you were ready, willing and able to perform that night?"

Nettles said: "No, I wasn't aware of that. I was aware I would be paid if I did perform, but I wasn't aware of the stipulations within the contract when and if payment is made."

Only 55 minutes of the 4-1/2 hour deposition was released Monday. The band's representatives weren't happy with the release.

Sugarland's attorney Bill Johnson said "it seems someone is trying to poison the well" in the civil case and influence potential jurors.

Sugarland spokesman Allan Mayer said in a statement: "We're not sure what these lawyers think they're accomplishing by leaking selectively edited portions of the transcripts, but we don't think it's fooling anyone- and it sure isn't bringing any truth or clarity to last summer's tragedy."

Nonetheless, Allen's firm said Monday it was considering releasing the videotaped deposition of Sugarland's Kristian Bush "soon" - perhaps as soon as Tuesday.