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Travis Scott’s team furious about Astroworld doc calling the director a ‘trauma pornographer’ 

Travis Scott's team furious about Astroworld doc calling the director a 'trauma pornographer'  2

Travis Scott’s representatives have come out swinging against a new documentary focusing on last November’s deadly stampede during the rapper’s Astroworld festival that killed 10 people – calling the director a ‘trauma pornographer.’ 

Charlie Minn captures the chaos and tragedy surrounding the ill-fated event in Concert Crush: The Travis Scott Festival Tragedy, which begins screening in Texas on April 29. 

On November 5, 2021, ten people were killed and 25 were injured following a crush during Scott’s performance at his Astroworld concert at NRG Park in Houston. More than 300 people were injured. 

Those who were killed died as a result of ‘compression asphyxia.’ 

It is not clear if Travis Scott will face criminal charges but around 125 people have filed civil lawsuits against Scott and concert promoter Live Nation with potential damages amounting to $750 million. 

Travis Scott, shown taking the stage during Astroworld festival last year, has not performed since the deadly stampede, which killed 10 people

Travis Scott, shown taking the stage during Astroworld festival last year, has not performed since the deadly stampede, which killed 10 people

Director Charlie Minn has been called a 'trauma pornographer' by members of Scott's team

Director Charlie Minn has been called a ‘trauma pornographer’ by members of Scott’s team 

Concert Crush's director Charlie Minn has stated his belief that Scott should be sentenced to jail time for his role in the tragedy

Concert Crush’s director Charlie Minn has stated his belief that Scott should be sentenced to jail time for his role in the tragedy

Lawyers for Live Nation, Neal Manne and Kevin Yanowsky, said in a letter that they’re concerned that publicity from the documentary could ‘taint the jury pool.’ 

The letter read: ‘The involvement of plaintiffs’ lawyers in the film, and the publicity the filmmakers and producers are trying to generate for it raise significant issues about efforts to taint the jury pool.’

A member of Scott’s team told TMZ that the film is a ‘farce’ and argued that the documentary is being paid for by lawyers for the plaintiffs in the case. 

The attorney went on to accuse the filmmakers of seeking ‘to exploit’ the victims in order to benefit financially. 

Speaking to TMZ, Scott’s team did not hold back when talking about Minn saying, ‘It’s a profit play and a publicity stunt, with no support from the film industry, no distribution, and from a director with no respect from his field who has been termed a “trauma pornographer.’  

Minn has made documentaries about the school shootings in Parkland and Santa Fe as well as a 2018 documentary about the Las Vegas Strip massacre.

He defended his upcoming film in an interview with the Associated Press. 

‘My job is to make the most truthful, honest, sincere documentary from the victim’s point of view … We need to know about these stories to prevent it from happening again.’

Medics attend to one of the concertgoers who was hurt during stampede at NRG Stadium

Medics attend to one of the concertgoers who was hurt during stampede at NRG Stadium

Those who went out to a concert and never came home: Top Row L-R Madison Dubiski, John Hilgert, Bharti Shahani, Axel Acosta, Brianna Rodriguez. Bottom Row L-R Ezra Blount, Rudy Peña, Jacob Jurinek, Franco Patiño, Mirza "Danish" Baig

Those who went out to a concert and never came home: Top Row L-R Madison Dubiski, John Hilgert, Bharti Shahani, Axel Acosta, Brianna Rodriguez. Bottom Row L-R Ezra Blount, Rudy Peña, Jacob Jurinek, Franco Patiño, Mirza “Danish” Baig

The film suggests Scott could have done more to prevent the conditions that led to the casualties, but Minn said it isn’t a ‘hit piece toward Travis Scott.’ 

He said it also questions whether others, including Live Nation and Houston police, could have done more to improve safety or respond more quickly to the danger. Minn said Scott, Live Nation and Houston police declined to be interviewed for the documentary.

In a separate interview with Page Six, Minn went in hard on Scott calling Kylie Jenner’s on-again/off-again boyfriend ‘a punk’ while saying the rapper ‘deserves criticism and jail time.’

The trailer for the documentary shows several concertgoers appearing to lay the blame for the disaster at Scott’s feet. 

Live Nation lawyers said they were ‘heartbroken’ by the events at the stadium.  

A gag order has been issued in the case, but Live Nation’s lawyers say an attorney who filed lawsuits related to the tragedy also co-produced the documentary.

The Astroworld tragedy occurred on the first night of the festival. Eight people died on the night of the concert, two more succumbed to their injuries at a nearby hospital

The Astroworld tragedy occurred on the first night of the festival. Eight people died on the night of the concert, two more succumbed to their injuries at a nearby hospital

Previously, Minn has made documentaries about the school shootings in Parkland and Santa Fe as well as a 2018 documentary about the Las Vegas Strip shooting

Previously, Minn has made documentaries about the school shootings in Parkland and Santa Fe as well as a 2018 documentary about the Las Vegas Strip shooting 

Brent Coon, an attorney representing about 1,500 concertgoers who was interviewed in the documentary, said he doesn’t think the film would impact the ability to choose an impartial jury if the case goes to trial, which could be years away.

“I don’t think any lawyer in this case could fan the flames much to change … what the public’s perception of all this is going to be,” Coon said.

Cassandra Burke Robertson, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland who is not involved in the litigation, said the fact that one of the film’s co-producers, Rick Ramos, is representing concertgoers who have filed lawsuits could raise some ethical concerns. 

Robertson added that she felt as though it was unlikely that a judge would take any action on the documentary.  

Since the disaster, Scott has not performed live aside from a brief appearance this month at a Coachella after-party. He is scheduled to take the stage alongside Rick Ross and Diplo at E11EVEN night club in Miami on May 7.

He did appear on Future’s track Hold That Heat, which was released this month.

Scott will return to the stage to headline the Primavera Sound festivals in South America in November. 

DailyMail.com has reached out to Minn and Scott’s legal team for comment on this story.  

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