Travis Scott is asking to be dismissed from the sprawling lawsuit over the 2021 Astroworld music festival disaster, arguing that safety and security at live events is “not the job of the artists”.
More than 2,500 people have sued Astroworld, which left 10 dead and hundreds injured after a crowd stampede during Scott's Nov. 5 show. They claim Scott (real name Jacques Bermon Webster II), Live Nation and other promoters were legally negligent in the way they planned the event and are collectively seeking billions in damages.
But in a motion filed Monday in a Houston court, Scott's lawyers (led by prominent Justice Daniel Petrocelli) argue that the rapper himself cannot be held responsible for the tragic incident. Although the event was promoted under Scott's name and brand, his lawyers say he was just a stage performer not responsible for ensuring the safety of the public.
“Like any other adrenaline-inducing diversion, music festivals must balance joy with safety and security – but that balance is not the job of artists, even those involved in promoting and marketing shows,” wrote Petrocelli. “Which only makes sense: Artists, even those involved in some promotional activities, have no inherent expertise or specialized knowledge in concert security measures, venue security protocols, or website design.”
And even if Scott theoretically could be held liable because of his involvement as a promoter, his lawyers say the evidence shows he did enough to avoid any claims of negligence or other wrongdoing — arguing that he “acted diligently to protect from all reasonably conceivable danger.'
“When, during festival planning, concerns arose about the risk of gambling occurring on the festival grounds, the Scott defendants supported the festival organizers' efforts to eliminate that risk by agreeing to remove certain rides and other attractions at space,” writes Petrocelli. “Then, when Scott's defendants were told to end the show after Mr. Scott's guest performer finished the show, they did just that – finishing the show as instructed.”
The Astroworld lawsuits, combined into a single large lawsuit in Texas state court in Houston, have spent much of the past two years in discovery as the two sides exchange information and take depositions from key people. Scott was deposed in October after being questioned by the plaintiffs' lawyers for about eight hours. festival-deaths-lawsuits-deposition-49ef2af5f436bdd4bb4853ac6631710f” rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank”>According to Associated Press.
The first trial in the mass trial is currently scheduled to begin May 6, according to court records.
With the trial date approaching, many of the defendants named in the case are currently seeking to be dismissed from the trial. Earlier this month, a similar request was made by Drake (Aubrey Graham), who was named in several of the lawsuits for appearing on stage as a guest performer during Scott's fatal show.
“Mr. Graham received no security briefings, crowd control issues, crowd injuries or deaths, or orders to stop at any time either before or during his 14-minute performance,” Drake's lawyers wrote at the time.
In his motion Monday, Scott makes similar arguments. He says his involvement in programming was limited to “creative control” and marketing, and that he and his team were “not responsible for or involved in approving venue safety, security or venue layout decisions.”
“No one disputes that tragedy struck the Astroworld festival,” Petrocelli wrote. “But promoting and showing up at a concert doesn't equal the power to control a crowd or design a venue safely. Basic tort principles prevent the Scott defendants from being held liable for a tragedy resulting from forces legitimately controlled by others.”
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/business/legal/travis-scott-astroworld-lawsuits-safety-not-his-responsibility-1235643319/
