Travis Scott will face a civil jury trial over the Astroworld Festival tragedy after a Houston judge rejected his bid to be dismissed from the lawsuits. In March, Scott’s legal team argued that as a performing artist, he did not have responsibility for crowd safety, stating “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.”
However, Judge Kristen Hawkins denied Scott’s motion to be dismissed from the case, which is scheduled to begin on May 6.[1][2][3][4][5] Unlike Scott, Astroworld guest performer Drake was successfully dismissed from the lawsuits earlier this month.[1]
The upcoming trial is a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of victim Madison Dubiski.[1][2] If found liable, Scott and other defendants like Live Nation could face billions in damages.
Interestingly, Scott was cleared of criminal charges by a Houston grand jury in June 2023.[1][4] Recent court documents revealed organizers’ concerns about accommodating the large crowd of 50,000 attendees, as well as other safety issues like obscured sightlines and gate-crashers that contributed to the deadly crowd conditions.
Houston Police Department Executive Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite stated the “biggest concern that night” was “the safety of the kids up against the barricade at the stage,” noting “there were kids who were up against the barricade who were experiencing crowd crush and turning blue.”
Despite the ongoing legal battles, Scott has resumed touring, with his “UTOPIA: CIRCUS MAXIMUS TOUR” marking his first trek since the Astroworld tragedy. The tour supports his fourth studio album UTOPIA, released in July 2023.