Earlier this month we told you how Bob Hilliard, the lawyer representing Treston Blountβfather of the late Ezra Blount, Astroworldβs youngest victimβ filed an emergency motion against Travis Scottβs announcement of his new Project Heal initiative alleging that it violated a gag order.
Suggested Reading
Now, per a court hearing on Monday, Hilliard has further alleged that the βOut Westβ rapper βused the power of his social media presence to address concert safetyβ in his publicizing of Project Heal, one of the main arguments at the center of all these lawsuits, according to the AP.
But according to Scottβs lawyer, Stephen Brody, that isnβt the case. Brody argued that even before the inception of the initiative, similar endeavors were βa constant in his [Scottβs] lifeβ and βto suggest somehow that speaking about those charitable initiatives...runs afoul of the publicity order...is certainly not something that would withstand scrutiny.β
Scottβs team has also said that the insinuation that talking about the project violates a gag order should hold no merit as it is his freedom to do so under the First Amendment.
βIt is also disappointing that Mr. Hilliard would attack Project HEAL, a series of philanthropic gestures designed to give students and young people a leg up,β said Scottβs spokesperson Stephanie Rawlings Black at the time. βProject HEAL is a continuation of Travis Scottβs longstanding work, including academic scholarships and creative design programs for underprivileged students. Mr. Hilliardβs outburst holds no merit and is just a publicity stunt when the court expressly prohibited the very same actions that Mr. Hillaird has engaged in.β
Since the initial announcement of Project HEAL, additional family members of Ezra Blount have come out against it. Blountβs grandmother Tericia likened to a βPR stuntβ and an attempt by Scott to βbe the good guy and trying to give his own verdict on safety.β
Straight From
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.