Travis Scott's Astroworld Legal Issues Just Got A Little Less Complicated
Travis Scott's legal battles are far from over, but there are recent developments that might favor the rapper. Due to the Astroworld Festival tragedy that killed 10 people and left dozens injured following a crowd surge, more than 300 lawsuits have been filed against the rapper. In December 2021, Scott denied legal responsibility for the deaths, which families of the victims found "shameful."
"Travis Scott's attempt to escape responsibility for creating a deadly situation from which his fans could not escape is shameful and, sadly, true to form," lawyer James Lassiter, who represents several victims, told CNN. "While he continues using social media to present a public image of someone who is grieved by the catastrophic loss of life that his actions caused, he is quietly paying celebrity lawyers to argue his victims deserve nothing more than symbolic help with funeral costs."
In the same month, a judicial board ruled that all lawsuits should be handled by only one judge to speed things along. "This consolidation will promote the expeditious and efficient administration of justice," the order read. Now, it looks like things will finally be put into motion.
All Astroworld lawsuits have been consolidated into a single case
On January 31, it was reported that the Texas Judicial Panel approved the motion to consolidate all Astroworld lawsuits into a single case for enhanced efficiency. The new giant lawsuit will represent almost 2,800 victims. The consolidated litigation claims that Travis Scott, Live Nation, and other organizers involved in the event exhibited negligence regarding the planning and management of the festival. The plaintiffs are seeking billions in damages.
"The agreed motion alleges the lawsuits arise out of incidents leading up to, during and following a live performance by Travis Scott during the Astroworld Festival outside NRG Park on November 5, 2021," the court papers obtained by Billboard read. "We conclude that the cases arising out of the incident are related, and we find that transfer of those case [sic] would result in more efficient pre-trial of the related cases."
The rapper has yet to issue a statement, but in November 2021, he took to Twitter to try to save face, vowing to work with the authorities to help the victims. "I'm absolutely devastated by what took place last night. My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival," he wrote. "Houston PD has my total support as they continue to look into the tragic loss of life. I am committed to working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need. Thank you Houston PD, Fire Department and NRG Park for their immediate response and support."