KEARNEY, Neb. — The legal saga involving the former Kearney High girls basketball coach is coming to a close after more than a year of efforts to move forward with a defamation lawsuit.

Lawyers for J.D. Carson dismissed his claim with prejudice on Thursday. Carson had filed six defamation counts, two against Amber Garner and four against unnamed defendants, on Feb. 1, 2024. A judge dismissed the two counts against Garner on March 28.

The saga dates back to November 2023 when Carson resigned as girls basketball coach on the first day of practice. Carson and the district then publicly sparred about the reasons for his departure. District officials said in a public statement that Carson had a “flirtatious relationship” with a player and put the team in other uncomfortable situations.

Carson responded by filing a petition for depositions before action, which a judge dismissed. He followed up with the defamation suit a couple months later.

Thursday’s dismissal comes after Carson’s attorneys hosted depositions with Kearney Public Schools administrators, including superintendent Jason Mundorf, and 28 parents of players on the 2023 Kearney girls basketball team.

In the 23-page dismissal filing, Carson’s attorneys shared excerpts from the depositions regarding claims made by Mundorf in the public statement. Carson’s attorneys established that Mundorf did not view the “flirtatious relationship” comment to mean Carson was grooming a player.

Q: And at no point did Mr. Carson make an attempt to groom that student?

A: Not to my knowledge.

In the deposition, Mundorf also said what he referred to in the statement as affidavits signed by players, should have instead been called investigation statements. He acknowledged that a photo featuring Carson and players wearing swimsuits was not inappropriate and said his public statement was an overall summary of the allegations, which implied the claims were not the result of an investigation.

The excerpts from the deposition showed Carson’s attorneys repeatedly asking Mundorf who made the allegations against Carson. Mundorf answered every time that it was “a parent of a female player on the team” and cited federal law for why he wouldn’t disclose the name.

The attorneys said in the filing that Mundorf’s response motivated them to subpoena the parents of all 15 team members. 28 of those parents appeared for depositions and signed affidavits testifying that they didn’t make the allegations. Amber Garner, who previously had the claims against her dismissed, and her husband did not participate in the depositions. Carson’s attorneys said in the dismissal filing that the Garners “communicated through their attorney that they would seek a protective order, claiming that statements made about Mr. Carson to Mr. Mundorf were privileged.”

Carson’s attorneys said he is dismissing the case because Mundorf and the school district are protected by state law from legal action in this situation and because he doesn’t want to bring his former players into the litigation process.

Carson and his attorneys denied a request for an interview, saying they said all they needed in the filing.

“His experience stands as a stark warning to other teachers and coaches,” the filing read. “Presently, when a parent that has the ear of the administration wants your job, you are in jeopardy.”

Kearney Public Schools acknowledged a request for comment but did not immediately provide one.

Carson is now the girls basketball coach at Amherst High School.