Sexual abuse lawsuits against Michael Jackson are revived by Appeals Court
Sexual abuse lawsuits against Michael Jackson raised by two men in the documentary Finding Neverland have been revived, it has been reported.
Wade Robson and James Safechuck accused the singer, who passed away in 2009, of abusing them when they were children and that his company's - MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc. - acted as "co-conspirators, collaborators, facilitators and alter egos” for their abuse, reports the New York Times. The two companies are now owned by Jackson's estate, which denies all of the abuse claims.
The details of the allegations were featured in HBO's Leaving Neverland documentary in 2019. In the film, the men claimed Michael molested them and was able to continue to do so by building a close relationship with their families. In the documentary, James talked about the alleged abuse and said: "Everybody wanted to meet Michael or be with Michael. He was already larger than life. And then he likes you.”
Michael Jackson was pictured with young Wade Robson, who wore a white hat and jacket, and his family in February of 1990 (Channel 4)Wade claimed Michael molested him for seven years, from the age of 7 to 14. He said he first met the pop superstar through a dance competition when he was five. The abuse allegedly began when Wade was invited with his family to stay at Michael's "Neverland Ranch" in California.
According to the suit, Michael and Wade slept in the same bed together and touched one another's genitals. Wade claimed that over the next few years the two had engaged in other sexual activity including oral sex and masturbation. The lawsuit claimed that employees of Michael's corporation were aware of the abuse and took steps to ensure that Michael was alone with Wade and other children.
James Safechuck since the allegations against Michael Jackson has been branded a liar (Twitter/@mikesmallcombe1)Jonathan Steinsapir, an attorney representing Michael's estate, spoke up after the court hearing, claiming the singer was innocent. He said: "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 by men motivated solely by money."
Vince Finaldi, the lawyer representing the two men, said in statement that the court had overturned “incorrect rulings in these cases, which were against California law and would have set a dangerous precedent that endangered children.”
Wade and James' lawsuits were tried numerous times over the years. In 2013 and 2014 both of their cases were dismissed because they "exceeded California’s statute of limitations". They were later reopened in 2020 following a new state law that claimed plaintiffs in child sex abuse cases are granted an additional period to file lawsuits. But in October 2020 and April 2021, the lawsuits were once again dismissed after a court judge determined Michael's employees were not held legally responsible for protecting them.
Wade Robson alleged that Michael Jackson sexually abused him for seven years during his youth (Taylor Jewell/Invision/AP)But the California’s Second District Court of Appeal issued a new ruling in 2023, stating: “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.”
Justice John Shepard Wiley Jr. said that for the purposes of "civil liability" the corporations did the "sole bidding" of Michael, which means that they had a "duty of care" for both men. John said: "So did Jackson’s marionettes, because Jackson’s fingers held every string. These corporations could have taken cost-effective steps to reduce the risk of harm.”
The lawsuits, which were being heard in an appeals court, are now going to be brought to a trial court.
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