CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
Two official reports last week blamed the stage collapse at the Indiana state fair on faulty construction, and confusion about postponing the show.
But victims' attorneys still say that the band Sugarland deserves some of the blame, and they claim what people are saying under-oath supports the case against the musicians.
"Do I care about their safety?" Jennifer Nettles asked, "Absolutely!"
Sugarland singer Nettles answered lawyers questions for four hours last Thursday, regarding just what she knew before the stage collapse last August.
Seven people were killed, nearly 60 injured, when a storm blew in with high winds.
Victim's attorney Kenneth Allen said Monday she showed little emotion, appearing - from his point of view - not to care about the fans.
"Did you care enough to postpone the event on August 13, 2011, until the storm blew past?" victim's attorney Kenneth Allen asked.
"I didn't know about it," Nettles said, "and it's not my responsibility."
"You could see it was nothing more than an afterthought," Allen said. "She said, ‘I care about my fans.'"
Allen claims the band resisted postponing the concert, so they would get paid, and could hit the road for their next event. He claims Nettles could have stopped the concert for safety reasons. She disagrees.
"I don't feel it's my responsibility or my management's responsibility to evacuate the fans in the case of danger," Nettles said.
"I would think that what's going on here is the deep pocket," Sugarland's attorney Bill Johnson said.
Johnson said the victims' lawyers are looking for a deep pocket with lots of cash in order to get more damages.
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"From a safety point of view, they had nothing to do with it," Johnson said, "and for Mr. Allen to make assertions to the contrary is simply wrong."
Johnson said Sugarland only said that rain shouldn't stop the event, and had no idea a more dangerous situation was unfolding.
"Just common sense would tell you, would their manager want them to go on stage if she thought it was risky or dangerous?" Johnson asked.
Johnson said the victim's attorneys could be looking for additional damages because the potential recovery from state agencies has been capped at $11 million.
Allen said he released the video deposition because he wanted to refute Sugarland's statements that they've been cooperative and forthcoming.
