Gag order, diversity discussed at Astroworld court hearing
ABC News
During a court hearing on lawsuits filed after last year’s deadly Astroworld music festival, issues related to media publicity and a gag order as well as a concern over a lack diversity among attorneys representing those killed or injured were discussed
HOUSTON -- Issues related to media publicity and a gag order as well as a concern over a lack diversity among attorneys representing those killed or injured during last year’s deadly Astroworld music festival were discussed during a court hearing on Tuesday.
The hearing was the first time lawyers handling the nearly 500 lawsuits filed after 10 people died and hundreds of others were injured during a massive crowd surge at the Nov. 5 concert headlined by rapper Travis Scott had met in court after the cases were consolidated before one judge.
After being appointed last month by a judicial panel overseen by the Texas Supreme Court to handle all pretrial matters in the lawsuits, state District Judge Kristen Hawkins issued a gag order in the case.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Hawkins clarified her order, saying lawyers could tell the media about factual issues that happen in court, but she didn’t want attorneys to make their cases in the court of public opinion and possibly influence the jury pool.
