The start of the first civil trial stemming from the 2021 Astroworld festival, where 10 people lost their lives in a crowd surge, has been delayed. Jury selection for the wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of Madison Dubiski, a 23-year-old Houston resident who died during the concert by Travis Scott on Nov. 5, 2021, was scheduled to begin next Tuesday. However, Apple Inc., one of the more than 20 defendants in the case, filed an appeal this week, leading to an automatic delay in the jury selection process.
State District Judge Kristen Hawkins mentioned during a court hearing on Thursday that the trial is stayed unless she hears differently. Apple is appealing a ruling by Hawkins that denied the company's motion to be dismissed from the case. The company argues that its actions in livestreaming Scott's concert are protected by the First Amendment as it was acting as a member of the electronic media.
