A judge issued a closure order Tuesday Travis Scott a concert hearing so that the case could be “heard in the courtroom and not on social media”, as dozens of lawyers representing hundreds of victims and their families met in court for the first time.

The tragedy of November 2021 The astroworld The festival left 10 dead and many more injured.

“This case should be heard in the courtroom, not on social media or in press releases or other statements to the media,” Judge Kristen Hawkins said.

Hawkins clarified her order by saying that lawyers can tell the media about factual issues that are happening in court, but she does not want lawyers to present their cases in court to public opinion and possibly influence jurors.

At Tuesday’s hearing, dozens of lawyers were in court to represent Scott’s ten fans who were killed and thousands others who were injured.

This was the first time the lawyers in nearly 500 cases had met in court after cases were consolidated before a single judge.

Most of Tuesday’s court hearing was spent discussing how cases will proceed, setting up a leadership structure to speak on behalf of lawyers for each country, and resolving disputes over evidence or other issues.

Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, who represents Ezra Blount, the youngest victim, said most of the victims killed or injured were black, but most of the lawyers representing them were white.

Ezra Blount, 9, was reportedly a big fan of rapper Travis Scott’s music and was sitting on his father’s shoulders when Scott’s performance began at NRG Park on November 5th.

He was the youngest of 10 people killed in the huge crowd.

“These African-American voices don’t seem to have much representation in court,” Crump said. “It simply came to our notice then. We are concerned that they have no voice.

Attorneys Ben Crump, left, representing the victim’s father, Ezra Blount, left, Neil Mann, representing Live Nation, right, and others were shown leaving the Astroworld trial for Judge Kristen Hawkins on Tuesday.

Judge Kristen Hawkins issued a closure order Tuesday during a Travis Scott concert hearing so the case could be “heard in court, not on social media” as dozens of lawyers representing hundreds of victims and their families , met in court for the first time.

9-year-old Ezra Blount from Dallas, Texas, was the last death in a deadly mob during Travis Scott’s performance at the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston on Sunday – 10 days after he was put in a coma for medical reasons

In recent years, Crump has been a victim of police brutality and vigilance violence and has been a lawyer for the families of Traven Martin, Breona Taylor and George Floyd.

Hawkins told Crump that the problem was something “that has not gone unnoticed by the court … I would like this to be considered in the future.”

But Hawkins said she “will not choose someone’s adviser.” I know we have excellent lawyers in this room, and these lawyers come from all aspects of Harris County.

Neil Mann, who is the organizer of the Astroworld Live Nation festival, thanked Crump for highlighting the issue, saying: “I agree with him.”

Brent Coon, a lawyer who represents about 1,500 concertgoers and seeks $ 10 billion in damages, said after the hearing that he understood the judge’s purpose: account of the jury’s questions. ” ‘

“But this is a public import case for all the obvious reasons,” Koon said.

Hawkins said he planned to hold monthly hearings.

Until the next hearing, she asked lawyers to give her a breakdown of the various lawsuits into four categories: deaths, bodily injuries, brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Koon said it could be years before trials or agreements are reached.

At least two Houston police cops have been spotted holding their phones and filming Travis Scott’s deadly Astroworld concert 30 minutes after it was declared a mass casualty event.

The U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Reform Commission announced in December that it was investigating the role of Live Nation in the deadly concert.

Last month, Houston officials announced the creation of a new task force to improve the safety of major events in the Houston area.

Those killed in the concert are between 9 and 27 years old. Nearly 300 people were injured and taken to the scene, and 25 were taken to hospitals. The dead died of compression asphyxia.

Ezra was reportedly a big fan of rapper Travis Scott’s music and was sitting on his father’s shoulders when the countdown to Scott’s performance began at NRG Park on November 5th.

The two stayed close to the back of the crowd because his father, Treston Blount, thought it would be calmer, he told ABC 13.

But as soon as Scott came on stage, Treston said, people started pushing.

He lost consciousness and Ezra fell to the ground and was soon trampled by impatient concertgoers.

When Treston regained consciousness, he said he could not find Ezra anywhere and rushed to the medical tents on site and several hospitals.

Eventually, he said, he reported it to police and received a message from a police officer with a photo of his boy.

When he arrived at the hospital, he discovered that his son had suffered severe brain, kidney and liver damage after being “kicked, kicked, trampled and nearly crushed to death”, according to a lawsuit filed by his family against Scott and event organizer, Live Nation.

The Blount family is seeking at least $ 1 million in damages.

In a statement, the family’s lawyer, Ben Crump, said he was “committed to seeking answers and justice” on behalf of the family.

“The Blount family is grieving tonight over the inexplicable loss of their precious young son,” Crump said. “This should not have been the result of taking their son to a concert, what should have been a joyous holiday. Ezra’s death is absolutely heartbreaking.

An ambulance is seen in the crowd during the Astroworld Music Festival as Scott’s performance continues

Scott was widely criticized for continuing to play for 38 minutes after Houston police announced an incident of mass casualties

Video and photos obtained by TMZ show members of the Houston Police Department walking around quietly and even taking out their cell phones to record Scott’s performance after the fire chief announced a “mass casualty event” at 9:38 p.m. o’clock.

A set of photos with time stamps 21:57 shows police recording the performance of the rappers, 19 minutes after the statement of the boss, TMZ reported.

TMZ also received a video of police officers casually passing by the scene, shot at 10:02 p.m., 25 minutes after the mass casualties were announced.

Asked how the concert ended and why Scott was able to complete his set, the chief said investigators were still investigating the details during a press conference on Wednesday.

“I don’t know and this is part of the investigation,” he told reporters, adding: “We searched and the deadlines shifted, so we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves, let’s just wait.” this is part of the investigation.

Finner, who said he had not had a close relationship with Scott and had only met him twice, said whether or not the show continued did not depend on the police department.

“The authorities can stop the show – we’re not holding the plug, are we?” But it’s always in the plan, there’s always a discussion about how this is going to happen, and we’ve had these discussions with the promoters, “Finner said.

“The main authority for ending the show is with the production and the artist,” he added.

Houston police officer filmed helping the crowd at Astroworld’s deadly concert last Friday

Scott was widely criticized for continuing to play for 38 minutes after Houston police announced an incident of mass casualties and for attending a party with fellow rapper Drake in the hours after the tragedy.

But Scott’s lawyer, Ed McPherson, told the DailyMail.com that the rapper stopped the show when he spotted fans in trouble and wore a headset during the concert, which limited what he could hear.

McPherson also revealed that Scott was not allowed to stop the show on his own due to a security protocol that put the decision in the hands of the producers. He said that when he was told to stop, he did.

McPherson said: “There are very few things you can see [from the stage]. You are up to perform. Your task is to entertain the crowd and make the crowd go.

“You can’t see these things [crowd trouble]. You certainly can’t hear anything. It was the middle of the night and it complicates things on stage. Everything you see is black in front of you.

Scott issued a statement after the tragedy, saying he was “absolutely devastated” by the loss of life.

The Houston native continued: “Prayer prayers are for families and all those affected by what happened at the Astroworld Festival.

Houston Police have my full support as they continue to investigate the tragic loss of life.

“I am committed to working with the Houston community to heal and support families in need.”

WASHINGTON — The House Committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol on Tuesday subpoenaed half a dozen lawyers and other allies of former President Donald Trump who promoted false claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election and worked to disprove his defeat.

Those who were sent subpoenas for documents and testimonies were involved in a number of attempts to annul Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s victory, including filing lawsuits, pressuring local election officials to change the results, and drafting proposed decrees to seize voting machines.

“The Selection Committee is seeking information about attempts to disrupt or delay the confirmation of electoral votes and any attempt to corrupt the results of the 2020 election,” Representative Benny Thompson, Democrat of Mississippi and chairman of the committee, said in a statement. . “All six people we have called to court today have knowledge related to these issues and will help the selection committee better understand all the different strategies used to potentially influence the outcome of the election.”

More than 550 witnesses testified before a committee tasked with writing an authoritative account of a year-old violence that left more than 150 police officers injured and several dead.

The committee also intends to make recommendations to prevent such an episode from happening again, and is considering forwarding a criminal case if its investigators find any crimes that the Justice Department has not yet charged.

Summons, issued Tuesday, order the witnesses to appear for questioning in March.

Among those summoned was Kleta Mitchell, an attorney who the commission said “spread false allegations to members of Congress about electoral fraud” and was involved in a phone call in which Mr. Trump tried to pressure the Georgian Secretary of State to “find enough votes to make up for his loss there.”

Ms. Mitchell also contacted Mr. Trump on Jan. 6 and a few days before, the committee said it had learned of it.

Kenneth Chesebro, another lawyer called to court on Tuesday, promoted legal theories as part of the Trump campaign supporting the use of fake electoral rolls in states the former president lost. Mr. Chesebro told the Trump campaign that his efforts would “reinforce” the case for delaying the confirmation of the election results and lead the public to believe that the election “probably was rigged and stolen by Biden and Harris, who were not legitimately elected.” The committee wrote in a letter accompanying Mr Chesebro’s subpoena.

The committee also sent a subpoena to Christina Bobb, who works for One America News Network and was reportedly involved in efforts to develop an executive order for Mr. Trump that would have federal agencies confiscate voting machines in many states. Ms. Bobb was present in the “war room” of Mr. Trump’s personal attorney, Rudolph W. Giuliani, at the Willard Hotel on Jan. 6, the committee said.

Ms. Bobb is said to be writing a book about Jan. 6 and was interviewing Mr. Trump for the project, meaning she would likely have notes for the committee to get through a subpoena.

Capitol Riot Aftermath: Key Events

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First court. Guy Wesley Reffit, who is accused of obstructing the work of Congress on January 6, is to be the first defendant to stand trial in a case related to the Capitol riots. The trial, which begins on February 28, will set the tone for dozens of other cases.

Another lawyer subpoenaed on Tuesday, Katherine Friss, was also reportedly involved in efforts to draft an executive order directing federal agencies to confiscate voting machines and at one point “traveled to Michigan trying to get data on voting machines.” directly from local residents. officials,” the letter attached to her agenda says.

Kurt Olsen, a pro-Trump lawyer, also reportedly drafted an executive order for Trump that directed the Justice Department to “take action against voters.” the committee’s statement accompanying its subpoena.

The commission also sent a subpoena to Philip Kline, the former Attorney General of Kansas, who called a meeting between Mr. Trump and more than 300 state lawmakers “in an attempt to spread alleged evidence of election fraud” and urged lawmakers to sign a letter urging Mike Pence, then Vice President President, to postpone the January 6 electoral certification, the committee said.

None of the potential witnesses responded to requests for comment.

Maggie Haberman contributed reporting.

“Do you think the deer wears a Kevlar vest?” Biden walks out of the script as he calls for a ban on assault rifles and high-capacity magazines in his speech on the state of the Union

• President Biden called on Congress to adopt gun control measures on Tuesday
• He asked why someone needed an assault rifle and a cartridge for 100 rounds
• And he deviated from the script to say, “You think a deer wears a Kevlar vest?”
• The Conservatives accused him of wanting to take away their weapons

from Rob Wings, senior US political reporter for Dailymail.Com

Posted: 05:36 GMT, March 2, 2022 | Updated: 6:22 AM GMT, March 2, 2022

President Joe Biden He expressed bewilderment at the high-capacity magazines and powerful rifles sold in America during his speech on the state of the Union on Tuesday, asking: “Do you think the deer wears a Kevlar vest?”

But the joke was quickly ridiculed conservatives.

“Joe, the reason Americans need an AR-15 with 30 rounds is not a deer in a Kevlar vest,” a hunting enthusiast wrote on Twitter. Donald Trump junior

“What you’re watching is happening on the news 24/7 this week in Ukraine.”

Biden urged greater gun control.

And during the joint session of Congress, he used his speech to pressure his audience to do more to introduce “sound” legislation that will save lives, including a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

President Joe Biden uses his speech on the state of the Union to call on Congress again to ban assault weapons and high-capacity cartridges that can hold up to 100 rounds

But watching conservatives – including Donald Trump Jr. – ridicules his joke about hunters who need guns to chase deer wearing Kevlar vests.

The speech was a chance for Biden to reset his presidency after the first year of rule, affected by the highest inflation in 40 years and the prolonged coronavirus pandemic.

“I urge Congress to adopt proven measures to reduce gun violence. Pass universal background checks. Why should someone on the list of terrorists be able to buy weapons?

‘Why? Why? ‘

“Prohibit assault weapons and high-capacity cartridges containing 100 rounds.”

At this point, he strayed from his prepared remarks to make fun of the deer – his favorite, which he also used in front of the same audience last year – before returning to the script.

“Abolish the shield of responsibility that makes gun manufacturers the only industry in America that cannot be prosecuted,” he continued.

The issue is deeply partisan. And the audience split up because of the joke.

Conservatives said it was “patronizing”, while some Democrats took to Twitter to say it was the best line of the evening.

Republican Jim Banks focused on the broader message, tweeting, “Joe Biden wants to take your weapons.”

Prior to the address, the White House said it believed the proposed laws would make America safer.

“This legislation, which is fully in line with the Second Amendment, includes a requirement for background checks on all arms sales, ensuring that no terrorist can buy weapons in the United States, banning assault weapons and high-capacity cartridges, repealing the protection of arms manufacturers from liability, and the banning of ghost weapons, “the newsletter said.

Just as guns divide the nation, so does Biden’s joke. Viewers found it patronizing or fun

Biden’s speech gave him a chance to recover from a tumultuous first year that sent his numbers into the polls in free fall.

Although it led to record economic growth and trillions of dollars in spending, it was thrown off course by the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, record inflation and the persistent coronavirus pandemic.

He began his speech by talking about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and asked Congress to take the unity they have shown on the issue and apply it to others.

“Let’s use this moment to reset,” he said

“So stop looking at COVID as a guerrilla dividing line. Look at what it is: a terrible disease for God. Let us stop perceiving ourselves as enemies.

“Let’s start seeing ourselves the way we are: American compatriots.”

He renewed his proposal for the huge social spending programs that have stalled in Congress, including expanded childcare.

And he promised to take action against inflation, saying “my top priority is to control prices.”

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