A magistrate in Texas is scheduled to hear arguments on Monday regarding rap sensation Travis Scott’s bid to be excused from a lawsuit pertaining to the fatal 2021 Astroworld festival in Houston.
Scott headlined the event where 10 individuals lost their lives amid a chaotic crowd surge, prompting authorities and festival organizers to intervene and attempt to halt the performance.
Just last week, the magistrate dismissed legal actions against hip-hop guest performer Drake, along with multiple other parties and entities associated with the event.
Legal representatives for Scott, known by his birth name Jacques Bermon Webster II and his alias "Cactus Jack," argue in the motion for dismissal that he served solely as an entertainer and bore no responsibility for security or crowd control at the festival.
“Entertainers are not tasked with providing special protection to attendees or ensuring their safety amidst the crowd,” the motion asserted. “Performing artists, even those involved in certain promotional activities, lack inherent expertise or specialized knowledge in concert safety protocols.”
The motion stated that Scott adhered to instructions and concluded the performance after Drake's set by delivering one last song. This decision stemmed from concerns that an abrupt conclusion might incite riots, panic, and disorder among the audience.
“Hence, exercising due diligence also necessitated the proper conclusion of the show, ensuring that the attendees felt content and departed peacefully,” as stated in the filing.
Following an inquiry by Houston law enforcement, no charges were pressed against Scott, and a grand jury opted not to indict him and five others on any criminal charges linked to the tragic concert.
The victims, aged 9 to 27, succumbed to compression asphyxia, a condition likened by an expert to being crushed by a vehicle.
The inaugural trial from the litigations is slated for May 6.
Several of the lawsuits initiated by the families of the deceased and numerous injured individuals have been resolved, including those brought forth by the families of four of the deceased.
