Topline
In a court filing on Monday, Travis Scott was accused of violating a court-mandated gag order that is supposed to prevent him from influencing public opinion, as the rapper faces multiple lawsuits that were filed after 10 people were killed and several others were injured during his headlining act at the Astroworld festival in Houston last year.
Travis Scott performs at the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston.
Key Facts
Lawyers representing some of the victims of the Astroworld disaster have accused Scott of using his reach on social media to address concert safety, one of the key issues mentioned in the lawsuits against him, the Associated Press reported.
Previously, State District Judge Kristen Hawkins had barred the attorneys and others from making their cases about the incident in the court of public opinion and influencing any potential jurors.
The attorneys in particular have raised concerns about Scott’s announcement of “Project HEAL”, a $5 million initiative that claims to address audience safety at large events and music festivals.
The attorney representing the family of 9-year-old Ezra Blount, the youngest person to die from injuries sustained at the concert, told judge Hawkins Scott’s post does “affect and dent” the power of her gag order.
In response to the filing, Scott’s attorneys have pushed back noting that charitable work has been a “constant” of the rapper’s life and efforts to prevent him from speaking about his initiatives would violate his constitutional right.
Crucial Quote
“My team and I created Project HEAL to take much needed action towards supporting real solutions that make all events the safest spaces they can possibly be. I will always honor the victims of the Astroworld tragedy who remain in my heart forever,” Scott wrote in an Instagram post earlier this month.
Key Background
In November last year, 10 people were killed and nearly 300 others were injured during Scott’s performance at the Astroworld festival in Houston. The deceased were between 9 to 27 years old and they were killed from compression asphyxia due to a massive crowd surge at the event. A “mass casualty incident” was declared shortly after Scott started his performance. Judge Hawkins is overseeing nearly 500 lawsuits filed against Scott, rapper Drake—who was also featured in Scott’s headlining act—concert promoter Live Nation and the festival venue, among others involved in the event.
Further Reading
Travis Scott accused of violating Astroworld suits gag order (Associated Press)
Travis Scott Says He Couldn’t See Astroworld Tragedy Unfolding Before Him (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2022/03/29/lawyers-of-astroworld-victims-accuse-travis-scott-of-trying-influence-public-opinion-ahead-of-trial/