Former Kearney girls basketball coach files to take 30 depositions from players’ family members

KEARNEY, Neb. — Family members of current and former Kearney High girls basketball players will soon become part of the ongoing legal situation involving the program’s former coach.

Lawyers for J.D. Carson filed notices on Feb. 6 to take the depositions of 30 different people. County officials have since served civil subpoenas to the individuals, directing them to testify as witnesses in a deposition. The depositions are set for Feb. 26 at Bruner Frank law office.

The last names of the people receiving the subpoenas match the last names of the players on the 2023-24 Kearney girls basketball team.

This development is the latest in a saga that started on the first day of practice during the 2023-24 season when Carson abruptly resigned as head coach. Carson and the district then publicly sparred about the reasons for his departure. District officials said in a statement that said Carson had a “flirtatious relationship” with a player and put the team in other uncomfortable situations.

Carson filed a lawsuit in early 2024 alleging six counts of defamation — two against Amber Garner, who is a parent of a former player, and four against unnamed defendants. A judge dismissed the counts against Garner last March. Garner is among the 30 people subpoenaed for a deposition. Court records say she has filed a document related to the case, but the document is currently sealed by the court.

Carson's attorney, Nathan Bruner, declined to comment on the new list of depositions, but did issue this statement last March.

“If any person has knowledge of the parties that made defamatory remarks about our client, J.D. Carson, related to his forced resignation as Kearney High Varsity Girls Basketball Coach, please contact the Bruner Frank Law Firm.”

Carson’s attorneys hosted depositions with superintendent Jason Mundorf and high school principal Jeff Ganz last month.

Carson is now the girls basketball coach at Amherst.