In a significant development, nine out of ten wrongful death lawsuits resulting from the tragic crowd surge at the 2021 Astroworld music festival have been settled peacefully. Among these cases was one slated for trial this week. The announcement came Wednesday from attorney Neal Manne, representing Live Nation—the festival’s promoter and co-defendant along with acclaimed rapper Travis Scott.
Heading into court on Tuesday, the spotlight was on the wrongful death suit lodged by the bereaved family of Madison Dubiski. As a vibrant 23-year-old resident of Houston, Dubiski’s life was abruptly extinguished during the catastrophic crowd crush at Scott’s November concert—a calamity that duly claimed the lives of ten people.
Nevertheless, Manne disclosed during Wednesday’s hearing that only one wrongful death suit remains unresolved—the rest, including Madison Dubiski’s case, have found closure. An echo of relief was discernible in the family’s legal counsel, Noah Wexler’s voice as he affirmed during the hearing that their case “is resolved in its entirety.”
The air of confidentiality surrounding the terms of these settlements only thickened as attorneys shied away from commenting in observance of a gag order imposed on the case.
Travis Scott’s representative, Ted Anastasiou, expressed the rapper’s gratitude towards the resolution reached, thus eliminating the necessity for a trial. He elucidated that the sealed agreement will laudingly pay tribute to Dubiski’s memory and advocate considerable enhancements in concert safety norms.
Embodying their daughter’s tenacious spirit, Dubiski’s family pioneered the Pink Bows foundation, dedicated towards bolstering safety protocols at outdoor concerts and parallel events.
The lone lawsuit still pending is constituted by the relatives of the youngest casualty from the fateful Astroworld music event—nine-year-old Ezra Blount. Legal representatives are scheduled to convene next week to delineate a prospective timeline for Blount’s family’s impending trial.
Recognizing the readiness of Blount’s case, attorney Scott West eagerly awaits the trial. Conversely, Manne shared that they, along with representatives of the other defendants, are not yet ready to proceed.
Kristen Hawkins, State District Judge, intends to discuss the Blount case in next week’s hearing, alongside potential trials spinning off from the suite of injury claims arising post the ill-fated concert.
If the Blount family’s lawsuit remains unsettled, Hawkins hinted that she is predisposed to slate it as the succeeding trial, superseding any injury-related case.
A staggering number of over 4000 plaintiffs initiated hundreds of lawsuits following the devastating concert. Manne disclosed that approximately 2400 cases concerning injuries remain unresolved.
An unexpected turn of events last week saw Dubiski’s trial being temporarily halted when tech giant Apple Inc., one of the defendants in the suit, lodged an appeal against a court ruling that disregarded its plea to be let off the case. This move was granted by an appeals court, leading to a stay in the proceedings.
Swiftly capitalizing on this momentum, Dubiski’s legal team settled their lawsuit against all defendants involved, including Apple Inc., Travis Scott, and Live Nation—the world’s largest live entertainment company.
Following suit, four wrongful death lawsuits were settled and disclosed in court records prior to Wednesday. However, it was only during the recent proceedings that it was confirmed that nine of the ten lawsuits had been squared off.
Both Dubiski’s family’s attorneys and those representing the various other plaintiffs have consistently alleged in court documents that negligent planning and an alarming disregard for capaciousness and safety at the event led directly to the multitude of fatalities and injuries.
Those unfortunates lost in the tragedy were between 9 and 27 years old, succumbing to compression asphyxia—a condition akin to being crushed under a car.
“As the youngest victim, Ezra’s terror must have been unimaginable as the crowd surge ripped him from the safety of his father’s shoulders and then crushed and suffocated the life out of his small body,” lamented Bob Hilliard, an attorney for Blount’s family, in a statement after Wednesday’s hearing.
Meanwhile, the defendants, Scott, Live Nation, and others, extend their sincere denial of these allegations, emphasizing that ensuring safety was their top priority. They also stressed that the disastrous outcome was unimaginable and unpredictable.
An attentive police investigation resulted in a grand jury’s decision last year to not indict the six people linked to the festival, including rapper Travis Scott.
