BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Concert promoter Live Nation isn't responsible for the deaths of three young men who succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator while camping at a Michigan music festival in 2021, the state appeals court said.

The families of the victims argued that the small campsite sizes at the Faster Horses festival contributed to hazardous conditions. However, the court, in a 2-1 decision, concluded that Live Nation, which managed the event, is not liable.

“Live Nation did not have a legal responsibility to monitor the plaintiffs’ campsite and identify the risk posed by the generator,” the court stated last Friday.

Dawson Brown, 20; William “Richie” Mays Jr., 20; and Kole Sova, 19, passed away while inside a camper at Michigan International Speedway, approximately 80 miles (129 kilometers) west of Detroit. Officials indicated that they were likely asleep when they inhaled carbon monoxide. Two other individuals survived.

Michigan regulations typically require at least 1,200 square feet (111.5 square meters) per campsite, but the speedway — known as MIS — was granted permission to create campsites as small as 800 square feet if certain conditions were met, the appeals court noted.

The investigation revealed that the generator's exhaust was directed underneath the trailer, leading to harmful fumes entering the interior. A carbon monoxide alarm within the trailer was not functioning.

It was undisputed that Live Nation provided information to campers regarding the use of generators, the appeals court confirmed.

A Lenawee County judge sided with Live Nation and dismissed the lawsuit against them. The appeals court upheld this decision.

Judge Allie Greenleaf Maldonado dissented, arguing that a jury should determine the outcome of the case.

“There is uncertainty as to whether an ordinary individual would have grasped the dangers posed by this generator,” Maldonado stated, referencing a legal standard in Michigan.