Indiana Recognizes Civil Union In State Fair Stage Collapse Settlement

Fans waiting to see country music group Sugarland at the Indiana State Fair try to hold up the stage after high winds knocked it down. (AP Photo/The Indianapolis Star, Matt Kryger)

All but one of the 65 individuals and families affected by the stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair have accepted the Indiana attorney general's office's settlement offer, including Alisha Brennon, the wife of local activist Christina Santiago, who was one of the seven killed in the August stage collapse. Brennon and Santiago had a civil union in Illinois, which Indiana state law doesn't recognize. The offer of a settlement to Brennon could change that. Windy City Times writes:

Brennon has received the same settlement as heterosexual complainants who lost a spouse in the accident, possibly setting a precedent for same-sex partner recognition for wrongful deaths in Indiana, according to her attorney.