In the ongoing litigation over the 2021 Astroworld Festival disaster, the Texas Supreme Court ruled last week that Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino must provide a deposition. The decision comes nearly three years after the fatal event, which resulted in 10 deaths and hundreds of injuries during Travis Scott’s headlining set due to a crowd crush. The October 15 ruling leaves in place a lower court’s decision compelling Rapino to testify.
Live Nation had attempted to block the deposition, arguing that Rapino, as a high-ranking “apex” executive, was far removed from the event’s actual operations. The company’s attorneys claimed that Rapino’s knowledge of the festival was obtained through other executives, asserting that deposing him would merely serve to “harass Live Nation and coerce settlements.”
However, the victims’ lawyers countered that Rapino had a more hands-on role than the company let on, presenting evidence such as an email Rapino sent during the night of the festival tragedy. The email suggested that Rapino was involved in deciding whether to continue or cancel the event. “If 5 died, we would cancel,” Rapino reportedly wrote, raising questions about his decision-making role in handling the incident.
The 2021 disaster has led to a massive wave of lawsuits against Live Nation, Travis Scott, and others involved in organizing the event, with plaintiffs collectively seeking billions of dollars in damages. Although many cases have settled confidentially, several victims’ claims are still moving towards trial. A key “bellwether” trial, previously set to start this week, has been delayed to February due to recent settlements.
The timeline for Rapino’s deposition remains unclear, as Live Nation has yet to comment on the court’s latest order.
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