Gregg Allman, Michael Lehman And Open Road Films To Be Dismissed From Sarah Jones Civil Lawsuit

ATLANTA, Oct. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- After an extensive investigation into the events that led to the Feb. 20 death of 27-year-old Sarah Jones, Jones family attorney Jeff Harris of Harris Penn Lowry LLP announced today that Gregg Allman, Michael Lehman and Open Road Films will be dismissed from the civil litigation.

"This firm was hired by Richard and Elizabeth Jones to find out exactly what happened to their daughter, what decisions were made that led to that fateful day and to determine, and ultimately hold accountable, those who were involved," said Harris. "After reviewing the many thousands of pages of documents, and other information we have obtained through the legal discovery process, it is clear that Mr. Allman and Mr. Lehman had no involvement in any of the decisions that resulted in Sarah's death. Our investigation has also shown that, in this case, Open Road Films was not directly involved in the poor decisions that led to this horrific event and the tragic loss of Sarah's life. As a result, we are dismissing all claims against the three parties."

In discussing the reasoning for including multiple defendants in the civil lawsuit, Harris explained, "In the days and months following the accident, the Jones family was unable to access most of the evidence in this case because of legal protections in place as a part of the pending federal and state investigations into occupational safety, railway safety and potential criminal and civil liability. At the same time, various parties involved made numerous conflicting and contradictory public statements about the sequence of events leading to the tragedy. The comprehensive civil lawsuit filed by the Jones family, naming multiple defendants, allowed access to extensive and voluminous evidence. We very much appreciate Mr. Allman's and Mr. Lehman's full cooperation during discovery and are pleased we've reached a place of closure with them as well as Open Road. The investigation into the actions and involvement of the remaining defendants is ongoing."

"The legal process is working and questions are being answered," said Richard Jones on behalf of the Jones family. "During a very difficult and trying time for our family, Gregg Allman and Michael Lehman demonstrated their genuine sorrow over the loss of our daughter and their willingness to work with us in the future to ensure safe film sets for all. For that, we are grateful."

Safety for Sarah.

SOURCE Harris Penn Lowry LLP