'Gaslighting': Astroworld lawyers condemn Travis Scott interview denying responsibility for festival

[TexasTowelie]

‘Gaslighting’: Astroworld lawyers condemn Travis Scott interview denying responsibility for festival tragedy


Rapper Travis Scott this week broke his silence for the first time since the deadly events of November's Astroworld Festival tragedy, but attorneys representing victims and their families are saying it only further proved the artist was aware of the dangers of the festival.

Scott opened up about the incident in an interview with The Breakfast Club’s Charlamagne Tha God posted to YouTube Thursday morning.

In the near hour-long interview, Scott said he did everything he could to help his fans the night of a tragic crowd surge at his concert on Nov. 5 that resulted in the deaths of 10 attendees and injuries to hundreds. Scott, whose real name is Jacques B. Webster II, denied knowing about the deaths or injuries during the show.

Houston attorney James Lassiter, who is representing the family of 22-year-old victim Bharti Shahani, called Scott’s interview “an hour-long exercise in classic gaslighting” of victims, their families and the community. “Gaslighting is a form of manipulation seen in abusive relationships where it’s an attempt to manipulate the facts so that the victims begin to question their own experiences of reality,” Lassiter said. “That’s what was going on there.”

Scott and event organizers face hundreds of lawsuits totaling more than $10 billion in damages alleging the named parties failed to provide adequate safety for fans. Earlier this week, the hip hop artist requested to be dismissed from all 11 lawsuits filed against him, denying all allegations. Lassiter said that in the interview, Scott was playing the victim, and that while he and his team are still gathering facts to present to the jury in the case, it’s clear that the rapper encourages dangerous behavior at his performances.

Read more: https://www.lmtonline.com/news/houston-texas/article/Travis-Scott-Astroworld-interview-victims-lawsuit-16690645.php
(Laredo Morning Times)