Washington: American rapper and songwriter Travis Scott has issued his first legal response to the numerous lawsuits that name him as related to the Astroworld tragedy.
According to People magazine, Scott via his attorney on Monday and referred to by his legal name Jacques B. Webster II, filed a legal response to 11 lawsuits naming the rap star as a defendant regarding the Astroworld Festival event in Houston last month that left 10 people dead and hundreds injured.
Six of the 11 responses, each of which was nearly identical were obtained by People magazine.
Scott and his company “generally deny the allegations” made in the lawsuits, and “respectfully request that the claims against these Defendants be dismissed with prejudice,” the response read.
It further continued, “And that these Defendants be granted such other and further relief, both at law and in equity, to which they are entitled.”
Scott and his company Cactus Jack Records, LLC are being represented by law firms O’Melveny and Myers, Yetter Coleman, and Tribble | Ross in the more than 200 lawsuits that name him as a defendant.
Meanwhile, a news outlet reported that in their own responses, Live Nation, its subsidiary ScoreMore, Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation and several of the festival’s promoters denied all allegations against them.
A lengthy investigation by another news outlet published last week described how organizers were concerned about having adequate staffing for the event, that last-minute, poorly trained hires were made for security and that experts believe the festival’s layout was dangerous.
Also last week, it was reported that the numerous lawsuits may be consolidated into one large case. The lawsuits, in part, accuse Scott, Live Nation, which organized the event, and other event organizers as legally negligent in how the event was planned.
This new legal development comes less than a week after the family of Ezra Blount rejected the musician’s offer to pay for the late 9-year-old’s funeral. Three others have also rejected Scott’s offer.
As per People magazine, among those who’ve rejected Scott’s offer is the family of 14-year-old John Hilgert, who was a freshman in high school when he died at the festival.