Houston Judge Kristen Hawkins denied Travis Scott’s motion to be dismissed from the billion-dollar civil litigation over the 2021 Astroworld disaster, which means he will have to face a jury trial.
Wednesday’s ruling noted that the famous rapper would have to personally attend the trial about the incident that left 10 dead and hundreds injured, according to Billboard. The trial is set to begin in May. Scott’s attorneys insisted he could not be held personally liable for the deadly crowd rush, saying that security the safety of fans was “not the job of performing artists,” according to Billboard.
Recording artist Travis Scott performs during a stop of his Astroworld: Wish You Were Here tour at T-Mobile Arena on February 6, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
A woman walks past a memorial to those who died at the Astroworld festival outside of NRG Park on November 09, 2021 in Houston, Texas. Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Judge Hawkins did not provide additional information pertaining to her decision.
More than 2,500 people have filed litigation after the festival that Scott headlined and promoted turned deadly in 2021. Victims, family members and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the tragedy are collectively seeking billions of dollars in damages, alleging that Scott and organizer Live Nation were negligent in their planning of the event, according to Billboard.
A street sign showing the cancellation of the AstroWorld Festival at NRG Park on November 6, 2021 in Houston, Texas. Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images
Travis Scott performs during the Astroworld Festival at NRG Stadium on November 9, 2019 in Houston, Texas. Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP) (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images
Travis Scott attends the “The Idol” red carpet during the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 22, 2023 in Cannes, France. Photo by Kristy Sparow/Getty Images
Depositions have been provided in discovery over the past two years, as the case progressed forward. Scott was deposed in October and questioned by attorneys representing the plaintiffs for roughly eight hours, according to The Associated Press.
Travis Scott performs onstage during the 2022 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for MRC
Travis Scott performs onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
May 6 marks the start of the first trial, a wrongful death case filed by the family of the late Madison Dubiski, a 23-year-old who died at Astroworld, according to Billboard. (RELATED: The Kid LAROI Abruptly Stops Concert After Security Issue With Fans)
Scott was not pardoned from attending trial, but fellow artist, Drake, was dismissed from the case, as he was a performer, but was not listed as an official organizer of the event.