Page 14 - aruba-today-20230801
P. 14

A14    PEOPLE / ARTS
                    Tuesday 1 augusT 2023
            10 people died at the Astroworld music festival two years ago.


            What happens now?



            By  LEAH  WILLINGHAM  and                                                                                           In  June,  a  Texas  grand
            KEN MILLER                                                                                                          jury  declined  to  indict  six
            Associated Press                                                                                                    people in the case, includ-
            Nearly  two  years  after  10                                                                                       ing Scott. Prosecutors said,
            people  were  crushed  to                                                                                           then, that the circumstanc-
            death  during  the  deadly                                                                                          es  of  the  deaths  limited
            2021 Astroworld festival, no                                                                                        what  charges  they  were
            charges  have  been  filed                                                                                          able to present, eliminating
            even though some people,                                                                                            potential  counts  such  as
            including  event  workers,                                                                                          murder, manslaughter and
            expressed safety concerns.                                                                                          criminally  negligent  homi-
            Pinpointing  “who  exactly                                                                                          cide.
            caused those deaths is not                                                                                          Thompson  said  the  sheer
            an  easy  question  to  an-                                                                                         number of people involved
            swer,”  said  Sandra  Guerra                                                                                        in putting on the event, the
            Thompson,  a  criminal  law                                                                                         large  scale  of  it,  and  the
            professor  at  the  University                                                                                      high  bar  for  proving  crimi-
            of Houston Law Center.                                                                                              nal  negligence  or  reck-
            “It’s a very difficult thing to                                                                                     lessness  are  challenges  for
            say, unless you have some                                                                                           prosecutors  in  cases  like
            kind  of  clear  evidence    The crowd watches as Travis Scott performs at Astroworld Festival at NRG park on Friday, Nov. 5,   this.
            that  somebody  in  charge,   2021 in Houston.                                                                      “It goes back to, who knows
            whose job it was to ensure                                                                         Associated Press   what’s going on, is that be-
            safety  and  who  should                                                                                            ing  communicated?”  she
            have  known  better,  failed  er  that  people  could  die,  he did not see any signs of  promoter  Live  Nation  and  said.
            to take action,” she said.   shortly before rapper Travis  serious  problems,  nor  did  Scott.  Some  of  those  suits  “Were they being told that
            A nearly 1,300-page report  Scott went onstage.           he hear anyone tell him to  have since been settled.      people  have  died,  and
            on the investigation into the  In  the  report,  investigators  stop the show.         Those  who  were  killed  they  still  wanted  the  con-
            tragedy released by Hous-    wrote  that  Scott  said  he  Despite  no  charges  be-   ranged in age from 9 to 27,  cert  to  go  on?  Or,  were
            ton police Friday said con-  did  see  one  person  near  ing  filed,  more  than  500  and all 10 people died due  they  being  told  that  ‘Hey,
            tract worker Reece Wheel-    the  stage  getting  medi-   lawsuits  have  been  filed  to  compression  asphyxia,  some  people  are  getting
            er  told  authorities  that  he  cal attention, but said that  over  the  deaths  and  inju-  according  to  medical  ex-  hurt,  which  might  not  be
            saw a crush of people and  overall, the crowd seemed  ries at the concert, includ-     aminers.                     that  unusual  at  an  event
            warned  an  event  organiz-  to enjoy the show. He said  ing  many  against  concert  NO CHARGES BROUGHT            like that?” q



            Whitney Houston’s estate announces second annual Legacy of

            Love Gala




            By MARIA SHERMAN             one now that one of them  “This  year  is  Whitney  at  60  for Children in 1989 with the  by  Houston  and  became
            AP Music Writer              was for her,” says Pat Hous-  we’re all looking forward to  goal of empowering youth,  one  of  her  great,  everlast-
            LOS  ANGELES  (AP)  —  This  ton,  Whitney  Houston’s  sis-  being a part of the power  providing  resources  to  un-  ing  hits.  The  Recording  In-
            year    Whitney    Houston  ter-in-law and the executor  of love in that room.”        housed children, giving out  dustry Association of Amer-
            would  have  turned  60,  of her estate. Houston died  Houston  found  the  Whit-      college  scholarships,  and  ica  (RIAA)  certified  it  dia-
            and  a  special  celebration  in February 2012 at age 48.  ney  Houston  Foundation  raising  funds  for  charities  mond early last year, which
            to raise money for a good                                                              like the Children’s Defense  means  the  track  has  sold
            cause is being planned for                                                             Fund  and  St.  Jude  Chil-  and  streamed  10  million
            her birthday.                                                                          dren’s Research.             equivalent units in the Unit-
            Houston’s    estate,   Sony                                                            A  charity  auction  will  raise  ed  States.  It  became  her
            and  Primary  Wave  Music                                                              money  for  the  foundation,  first  diamond  single,  and
            will  host  the  2nd  annual                                                           which  is  now  called  the  made  Houston  the  third
            Whitney  Houston  Legacy                                                               Whitney E. Houston Legacy  woman  to  ever  achieve
            of  Love  on  Aug.  9,  which                                                          Foundation.                  diamond-status  with  both
            will benefit the late singer’s                                                         “We’re going to auction off  a single and an album, fol-
            foundation aimed at help-                                                              a  beautiful  lavender  dress  lowing  Mariah  Carey  and
            ing young people.                                                                      Dolly  Parton  wore  when  Taylor Swift.
            Houston’s    close   friends                                                           she sang ‘I Will Always Love  Clive Davis will serve as hon-
            BeBe Winans and Kim Burrell                                                            You’ at Country Music Tele-  orary chairman. Recording
            will perform at the gala at                                                            vision’s  ‘100  Greatest  Love  Academy President Harvey
            Atlanta’s  St.  Regis  Hotel,                                                          Songs  of  Country  Music’  Mason  jr.  is  scheduled  to
            as  will  Whitney’s  brother,                                                          special  in  2004,”  says  Pat  attend. Also expected are
            Gary, who toured with her                                                              Houston.  “This  dress  is  par-  Gamma’s  Larry  Jackson
            for three decades.                                                                     ticularly  special  because  and Whitney Houston’s mu-
            “When I turned 50, Whitney                                                             it’s lavender, and lavender  sical director Rickey Minor.
            gave me two celebrations     Singer  Whitney  Houston  performs  at  the  pre-Grammy  gala  &   is Whitney’s favorite color.”  “I always tell people, Whit-
            one  in  Ireland  and  one  in   salute to industry icons with Clive Davis honoring David Geffen   The  song,  originally  written  ney is the star,” Pat Houston
                                         in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Feb. 13, 2011.
            London. I always tell every-                                          Associated Press  by  Parton,  was  recorded  said. q
   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16