Michael Jackson accusers will get their day in court, allege company was complicit in their abuse
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Four years after Leaving Neverland revitalized the debate over Michael Jackson's legacy, specifically allegations of child molestation and sexual abuse that dogged the singer for the latter part of his life, the subjects of the 2019 HBO documentary will finally get their day in court.
A three-judge panel of the California Court of Appeal ruled that Wade Robson and James Safechuck have a legal case that can be tried against the singer's companies MJJ Productions Inc and and MJJ Ventures Inc.., whose staff they allege were complicit and aided in Jackson sexually abusing them and covering it up.
"We are disappointed with the Court's decision," Jonathan Steinsapir, attorney for the Estate of Michael Jackson, said in a statement to PEOPLE. "Two distinguished trial judges repeatedly dismissed these cases on numerous occasions over the last decade because the law required it."
Steinsapir continued, "We remain fully confident that Michael is innocent of these allegations, which are contrary to all credible evidence and independent corroboration, and which were only first made years after Michael's death. We trust that the truth will ultimately prevail with Michael's vindication yet again. Michael Jackson himself said, 'Lies run sprints, but the truth runs marathons.'"
HBO (2); Carlo Allegri/Getty Images Wade Robson; Michael Jackson; and James Safechuck
"A sexual abuser's passing does not deprive his victims of their day in court and, in turn, justice and healing," Robson and Safechuck said in a joint statement to EW in June. "Jackson is not sued personally in this case — his company is, and his company will have every opportunity to defend itself in the trial."
According to a copy of the ruling provided to EW by the plaintiff's lawyer, the principal issue in this trial revolves around whether Jackson's production company had a "legal duty" to protect Robson and Safechuck from the sexual abuse they allege Jackson "inflicted on them for many years while they were children."
MJJ Productions argued that it had no such duty because "they had no ability to control Jackson — their sole owner — or his interactions with" the young boys.
The Court of Appeal, however, disagreed, concluding that "a corporation that facilitates the sexual abuse of children by one of its employees is not excused from an affirmative duty to protect those children merely because it is solely owned by the perpetrator of the abuse."
Robson filed his original complaint against MJJ Productions in 2013, and Safechuck in 2014, but both were dismissed based on the statute of limitations. However, legislative changes while their appeals were pending eventually returned their cases to trial court.
Safechuck alleges that he was hired when he was 9 years old to work on a Pepsi commercial featuring Jackson. Several months later, Jackson wrote Safechuck a letter and invited him to dinner, after which they frequently spoke on the phone and visited each other's homes.
"Jackson became like a part of plaintiff's family," the ruling reads.
Dan Reed/HBO Michael Jackson and James Safechuck
Safechuck went on a six-month tour with the pop star in 1988, during which he claims the first incident of abuse occurred. Jackson allegedly showed Safechuck how to masturbate then began telling the 10-year-old other sexual acts were a way of "showing love." Between 1988 and 1992, Safechuck alleges Jackson abused him hundreds of times in various locations, and even performed a fake "marriage" to the child. All the while, the plaintiff was instructed to never tell anyone about their relationship, per the ruling.
Safechuck claims the abuse continued until he reached puberty, by which point he alleges Jackson had begun focusing his attentions on a younger boy.
According to the court's ruling, several former employees of MJJ Productions stated having witnessed "incidents of suspicious activity," including Jackson putting his hand down the front of Safechuck's shorts when the two were in a jacuzzi.
Safechuck claims Jackson acted "with the full knowledge, consent, and cooperation" of MJJ Productions, whose "thinly veiled, covert second purpose… was to operate as a child sexual abuse operation, specifically designed to locate, attract, lure, and seduce child sexual abuse victims."
Robson, who was born in Australia, met Jackson after winning a dance contest in 1987 and danced on stage at the singer's concert the following night. Robson and his family moved to the U.S. in 1990 and visited Jackson at Neverland Ranch, where he alleges the abuse began. Robson says Jackson sexually abused him from age 7 to 14.
Jackson's production company sponsored Robson's work visa, and he went on to perform alongside Jackson in music videos, commercials, and photo shoots.
Dan Reed/HBO Michael Jackson and Wade Robson
The ruling offers further claims of complicity by MJJ employees, such as Jackson's security guard witnessing Jackson putting his hand on Robson's crotch while they were on the amusement park rides at the Neverland Ranch and holding his genitals in the dance studio.
MJJ's security staff allegedly joked that Jackson did not have any girlfriends "because he likes little boys. He likes little whitebutts."
"No one reported the abuse to the police or any authorities," the ruling states.
"We are pleased that the Court of Appeal has taken its time and considered all of the facts and applicable law in these cases," Robson and Safechuck said in their joint statement. "We look forward to oral arguments… and the eventual decision of the Court of Appeal."
MJJ Productions Inc., MJJ Ventures Inc., and the Estate of Michael Jackson did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment.
"The Estate will likely ask the California Supreme Court to review the decision, and a settlement is not on the table," a source close to the Jackson Estate told PEOPLE.
Related content:
