Travis Scott finds out that he will continue to be involved in Astroworld’s civil lawsuit as it progresses, with the first trial filed by victim Madison Dubiski set to begin next month.
According to “Rolling Stone”, Harris County, Texas, Presiding Judge Christine Hawkins denied Scott’s motion to dismiss on Thursday (April 25). Judge Hawkins ruled without explanation, meaning the civil proceedings will be allowed to proceed.
Dubiski, who is suing the rapper (real name Jacques Webster II) and concert promoter Live Nation, will be the first victim to go to trial, which is scheduled for May Starting on the 6th of March.
Documents obtained by HipHopDX show that during the investigation phase, Dubisky and other defendants will argue arguments made by expert witnesses retained by the plaintiffs, including former D.C. Emergency Management Director Darrell Darnell.
Darnell’s report indicates that he and other experts warned festival organizers about the practicalities of packing thousands of people into a compact concert space and that Live Nation “violated its duty to implement crowd management and/or crowd control plans.” and responsibility.
However, whether the promoter’s alleged failure will affect Scott remains to be determined at trial.
Travis Scott to face civil trial over Astroworld tragedy after judge denies dismissal of lawsuit pic.twitter.com/28V9A6fVvD
— HipHopDX (@HipHopDX) April 25, 2024
Back in March, Cactus Jack’s lawyers, led by Daniel Petrocelli, argued that the responsibility for fan safety lies with event organizers and venue staff.
“Like any other adrenaline-fueled pastime, music festivals must balance excitement with safety, but that balance is not the job of the performing artist, even those involved in promoting and marketing the show,” Petrocelli wrote. The same goes for artists.
“It makes sense: Performing artists, even those working on certain promotions, have no inherent expertise or expertise in concert safety measures, venue safety protocols or venue design.”
He continued: “During the planning of the festival, when concerns were raised about the risk of a stampede occurring at the festival site, the Scott defendants supported efforts by festival organizers to eliminate this risk, agreeing to remove certain rides and other attractions from the site . Then, when the Scott Defendants were told to end the show after Mr. Scott’s guest performer had finished their performance, they did just that – ended the show as instructed.
While Travis Scott still faces a civil lawsuit from Astroworld, Drake has had his claim dismissed.
Last month, the rapper’s attorneys asked that his name be removed from the lawsuit, claiming he had no role in the planning of the incident that resulted in the deaths of 10 people at Scott’s show.
District Judge Christine Hawkins granted the request on April 10, NBC News reported.
Similar requests from several companies, including Apple, Scott’s Cactus Jack Enterprises and LaFlame Enterprises, were denied.
Last year, a grand jury declined to bring criminal charges against the “Sicko Mode” rapper over the tragedy. The decision comes about a month after Houston police released a nearly 1,300-page detailed investigative report.
