Travis Scott must stand trial in the Astroworld lawsuit.
The Associated Press reports that State District Judge Kristen Hawkins sent out an order rejecting Scott’s request to be dropped from the suit.
Hawkin’s decision follows Scott’s attorney, Daniel Petrocelli, arguing that his client wasn’t responsible for planning safety during the 2021 Astroworld festival. Petrocelli insisted that Scott’s responsibilities concern creative control, performing, and marketing the festival.
“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 expressed in March. “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.”
Petrocelli’s comments were met with rejection from the court and the families involved in the Astroworld tragedy. Noah Wexler, representing Madison Dubiski, who was killed at the festival, argued that the Houston rapper had a “conscious disregard for safety.”
Dubiski argued that Travis Scott, né Jacques Bermon Webster II, showed his unconcern for safety when he encouraged non-ticketed persons to break through security fences and ignored festival organizers’ pleas to stop the concert when people were being trampled.
The first trial in the combined class action lawsuit is reportedly scheduled to begin on May 6.
Ten people were killed during the November 2021 festival at Houston’s NRG Park. The youngest of the deaths was Ezra Blount, 9. Blount died after a crowd of 50,000 began rushing the stage. All victims died from compression asphyxia.
In June 2023, it was announced that Webster wouldn’t be criminally charged for the Astroworld deaths. NBC News reported that a Texas grand jury ruled that Scott was not liable for the crowd stampede that killed ten people at his Houston festival. District Attorney Kim Ogg spoke about the ruling during a news conference.
“It is tragic that ten innocent people were killed while trying to enjoy an evening of music and entertainment, something many of us do routinely and without a second thought to our safety. But a tragedy isn’t always a crime, and not every death is a homicide,” Ogg said in a statement. “This grand jury’s determination has no impact on the many civil lawsuits pending.”
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