Adam and Craig James were deposed on Saturday. Now the lawyers for both sides are speaking out about sworn testimony.
On Saturday, Ted Ligget said, "Adam told me today, that he thought that being placed in the shed on the 17th was funny, and that he in fact felt no threat of physical harm, and that he didn't think that a coach should be fired for the incident that took place on December the 17th."
Both Leach and university administrators are under a gag order in this lawsuit. Ligget says that order has to do with mediation and possible settlement discussions, and that Leach's legal team has not violated that, but has felt compelled to respond to quote "leaks by texas tech."
During Saturday's sworn testimony, Ligget says Craig James admitted he has hired a communications group out of Dallas, to manipulate messages to the media, including facilitating the release of Adam James' "so called" electrical closet video on you tube.
Dickey Grigg, one of the attorney's representing tech, says Mister and Mrs. James were just acting as concerned parents.
"Craig and Marilyn James did what any concerned parent would do, they brought the situation to the attention of those in authority at Texas Tech."
The university fired Leach on December 30th, two days after he was suspended. Allegations of mistreating player Adam James swirling at the time. On Friday, Paul Dobrowski, an attorney for Leach, suggested Craig James set up the coach to be fired.
"they also confirmed and the documents confirmed, that Craig James wanted Mike Leach terminated and directed that communication to Chancellor Hance who directed that to the board."
On Saturday, Grigg said that the decision to terminate Leach was made by Coach Myers and Doctor Bailey, independent of the board of regents or Chancellor Kent Hance.
"Craig James, not at first, but quickly, wanted Mike Leach fired, and he sent emails, and he made no bones about it. Originally, what he asked for is for Coach Leach to accept responsibility for his actions."
Grigg went on to say that once Craig James heard that Leach was "pressuring trainer Steve Pincock to make Adam practice, that's when he wanted him fired and started sending text messages to Chancellor Hance, and that he may have talked to regent Larry Anders at least once, maybe twice.
Attorney Ligget tells a different story.
"That's contrary to all the evidence that we've been able to uncover through the depositions this week. Craig (James) was adamant in his communications, we believe to both the board of regents and other officials within the administration, that he wanted Mike suspended and then fired. In fact, at one point there is communication wherein he wanted him fired and he wanted him to apologize too."
There are more discrepancies, including what both camps say about Chancellor Hance's response to Leach concerning his post game Baylor locker room speech.
It took both Adam and Craig James about 4 hours each to give their sworn testimony.
No date has been set, but both sides say they're ready for a trial.
Tech attorney's have sought sovereign immunity for the university, Judge Bill Sowder hasn't ruled on that yet.
Coach Leach is suing the university for defamation and wrongful termination.
