Renowned rap artist Travis Scott sat for an eight-hour civil deposition in Houston on Monday regarding the numerous lawsuits filed against him following the 2021 Astroworld tragedy which resulted in numerous injuries and fatalities.
Under a gag order, the lawyers and other parties involved in the civil litigation are limited to discussing in-court proceedings only. Scott’s representative, Ted Anastasiou, commented, highlighting the criticality of Scott’s voluntary cooperation throughout the legal process. He brushed off the media focus on Scott, asserting his lack of criminal charges as per several thorough governmental investigations, including one conducted by the Houston Police Department.
Post-investigation, there were no charges against Scott as a grand jury in June made no indictments related to the disastrous concert. Police Chief Troy Finner decided against revealing his department’s overall investigative conclusion. The police department later released an almost 1,300-page report, including festival workers’ concerns about potential deadly outcomes due to existing problems.
During a police interview, included in the report summary, two days following the concert, Scott stated that he noticed one individual near the stage getting medical assistance. Nevertheless, he perceived the crowd to be positively engaged in the performance, giving no indication of serious issues.
Attorneys representing the lawsuit filers took the opportunity to question Scott, the first instance since a dangerous crowd surge during his November 5 concert the prior year which claimed the lives of ten festival attendees. The individuals, aged between 9 and 27, lost their lives due to compression asphyxia, a situation similar to ones seen worldwide like soccer stadium incidents in England, mass pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, and South Korean Halloween celebrations. In such cases, many succumb due to suffocation.
Scott’s Monday deposition unfolded as a judge scheduled the first trial relating to the incident for May 6, 2024, nearly two and a half years post-tragedy. According to court documents from April, over 1,500 active cases sought action against Scott and Live Nation, the concert organizer. The majority comprised physical injury lawsuits, emotional distress cases, and charges for pain, suffering and mental trauma. A portion of the lawsuits also mentioned recommended and completed orthopedic surgeries.
Despite the extensive litigation, some settlements have taken place, including those filed by three victims’ families. On the day of Scott’s deposition, his co-performer at the Astroworld concert, hip-hop artist Drake, who also faced lawsuits regarding the fateful event, was performing in Houston.
