Travis Scott has discovered that he will remain involved as the Astroworld civil lawsuits go forward, with the first trial brought by victim Madison Dubiski to kick off next month.
Rolling Stone reports that Judge Kristen Hawkins, who presides in Harris County, TX, denied Scott’s motion to dismiss as of Thursday (April 25). Judge Hawkins issued her ruling without explanation, meaning that the civil suits are going to be permitted to go forward.
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Dubiski — who is suing the rapper (real name Jacques Webster II) and concert promoter Live Nation — will be the first victim to have her case heard, with her trial set to begin on May 6. If found liable, Scott and Live Nation will be facing a court-ordered payout of billions of dollars in damages to the victims.
In documents obtained by HipHopDX, it was revealed during the discovery phase that Dubiski — along with the other defendants — will be arguing points raised by expert witnesses hired by the plaintiffs, including Darrell Darnell, the former emergency management director for the District of Columbia.
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Darnell’s report suggests that he, and other experts, warned the festival organizers about the practicality of fitting thousands of people into a condensed concert space and that Live Nation “breached their duties and responsibilities to implement a crowd management and/or crowd control plan.”
Whether the promoters’ alleged failures extend to Scott, however, is a matter to be determined at trial.
Back in March, Cactus Jack’s attorneys led by Daniel Petrocelli argued that the responsibility for the fans’ safety lies with event organizers and the venue’s staff.
“Like any other adrenaline-inducing diversion, music festivals must balance exhilaration with safety and security—but that balance is not the job of performing artists, even those involved in promoting and marketing performances,” Petrocelli wrote.
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“Which only makes sense: Performing artists, even those who engage in certain promotional activities, have no inherent expertise or specialized knowledge in concert safety measures, venue security protocols, or site-design.”
He continued: “When, during festival planning, concerns arose about the risk of a stampede occurring in the festival site, the Scott defendants supported festival organizers’ efforts to eliminate that risk by agreeing to remove certain rides and other attractions at the site. Then, when the Scott defendants were told to end the show after Mr. Scott’s guest performer finished performing, they did just that—ending the show as directed.”
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While Travis Scott is still on the hook for the Astroworld civil lawsuits, Drake has been dismissed from the plaintiff’s claims.
Last month, the rapper’s attorneys requested that he have his name removed from the suits, claiming he was not involved in the planning of the event, at which 10 people died during Scott’s set.
On April 10, District Judge Kristen Hawkins approved the request, according to NBC News.
Several companies, including Apple, Inc., Scott’s Cactus Jack Enterprises, and LaFlame Enterprises, had similar requests denied.
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Last year, a grand jury declined to bring criminal charges against the “Sicko Mode” rapper over the tragedy. That decision took place about a month after Houston Police issued a nearly 1,300-page report detailing its investigation.
