California Appeals Court Restores Lawsuits Alleging Michael Jackson’s Sexual Abuse of Two Men
LOS ANGELES – In a recent development, a California appeals court revived lawsuits from two men who claimed that they were sexually abused as boys by pop icon Michael Jackson. The three-judge panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal ruled that the lawsuits of Wade Robson and James Safechuck should not have been dismissed by a lower court. The court found that the two Jackson-owned corporations, MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc., named as defendants in the cases, can be held responsible for the alleged abuse.
The revival of the lawsuits was made possible by a new California law that temporarily expanded the scope of sexual abuse cases. This marks the second time that the lawsuits, initially filed by Robson in 2013 and Safechuck in 2014, have been brought back after being dismissed. The two men gained wider recognition for sharing their stories in the 2019 HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland.”
A judge who dismissed the suits in 2021 argued that the Jackson-owned corporations could not be expected to provide the same level of protection as organizations like the Boy Scouts or a church. However, the higher court judges disagreed, stating that a corporation that enabled the sexual abuse of children by one of its employees cannot be excused from the duty to protect those children, even if it is solely owned by the perpetrator.
The judges emphasized that the corporations cannot be treated differently from Jackson himself, as he was the sole owner and shareholder in the companies. The court ruling does not determine the truth of the allegations, which will be decided in a future trial.
Representatives for the Jackson estate expressed disappointment in the court’s decision, maintaining that Michael Jackson is innocent of the allegations. They argued that the lawsuits were motivated solely by financial gain. On the other hand, attorneys for Robson and Safechuck expressed satisfaction with the court’s ruling and stated that they are looking forward to a trial on the merits of the case.
Robson, now a 40-year-old choreographer, alleged that Jackson molested him over a seven-year period. Safechuck, now 45, claimed that he was sexually abused by Jackson after meeting him at the age of 9 while filming a Pepsi commercial.
It is important to note that the court ruling does not confirm the veracity of the allegations, but it signifies a significant step forward in the legal battle surrounding the allegations against Michael Jackson.
