Travis Scott is asking to be dismissed from the sprawling litigation over the 2021 catastrophe on the Astroworld music pageant, arguing that security and safety at stay occasions is “not the job of performing artists.”
Greater than 2,500 individuals have sued over Astroworld, which left 10 lifeless and a whole lot injured after a crowd crush throughout Scott’s Nov. 5 present. They declare Scott (actual title Jacques Bermon Webster II), Dwell Nation and different organizers have been legally negligent in how they deliberate the occasion, and are collectively searching for billions in damages.
However in a movement filed Monday in Houston courtroom, Scott’s attorneys (led by outstanding litigator Daniel Petrocelli) argue that the rapper himself can’t be held responsible for the tragic incident. Despite the fact that the occasion was promoted beneath Scott’s title and branding, his legal professionals say that he was merely an onstage performer who will not be answerable for making certain viewers security.
“Like some other adrenaline-inducing diversion, music festivals should stability exhilaration with security and safety—however that stability will not be the job of performing artists, even these concerned in selling and advertising and marketing performances,” Petrocelli wrote. “Which solely is smart: Performing artists, even those that interact in sure promotional actions, don’t have any inherent experience or specialised data in live performance security measures, venue safety protocols, or site-design.”
And even when Scott may very well be theoretically held liable due to his involvement as a promotor, his legal professionals say the proof exhibits that he did sufficient to keep away from any claims of negligence or different wrongdoing – arguing that he “acted diligently to guard towards each moderately apprehensible hazard.”
“When, throughout pageant planning, issues arose in regards to the danger of a stampede occurring within the pageant web site, the Scott defendants supported pageant organizers’ efforts to eradicate that danger by agreeing to take away sure rides and different sights on the web site,” Petrocelli writes. “Then, when the Scott defendants have been instructed to finish the present after Mr. Scott’s visitor performer completed performing, they did simply that—ending the present as directed.”
The lawsuits over Astroworld, mixed into one single giant motion in Texas state courtroom in Houston, have spent a lot of the final two years in discovery, as the 2 sides change info and take depositions of key figures. Scott was deposed in October, going through questioning from plaintiffs attorneys for roughly eight hours, in accordance with the Related Press.
The primary trial within the huge litigation is at present scheduled to begin on Might 6, in accordance with courtroom information.
With that trial date looming, most of the defendants named within the case are at present asking to be dismissed from the litigation. Earlier this month, the same request was filed by Drake (Aubrey Graham), who was named in most of the lawsuits as a result of he appeared on stage as a visitor performer throughout Scott’s lethal present.
“Mr. Graham didn’t obtain any safety briefings, was not knowledgeable of any crowd management points, accidents or deaths within the crowd, or any cease present orders at any time both earlier than or throughout his 14-minute efficiency,” Drake’s legal professionals wrote on the time.
In his movement on Monday, Scott makes related arguments. He says that his involvement in planning was restricted to “artistic management” and advertising and marketing, and that he and his group have been “neither answerable for nor concerned within the approval of venue safety, security, or web site format choices.”
“Nobody disputes that tragedy struck the Astroworld Pageant,” Petrocelli wrote. “However selling and acting at a live performance don’t equate to the ability to manage a crowd or to design a venue safely. Primary tort rules stop imposing legal responsibility on the Scott defendants for a tragedy arising from forces legally managed by others.”
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