By Aaron Miller And Isabelle Wilson-
Michael Jackson’s legacy is in serious crisis as his company prepares for the almost inevitable court challenge waiting to happen any time soon.
The former global star already had his reputation damaged after his accusers detailed multiple allegations against in an HBO documentary, ‘Leaving Neverland’, which split pubic opinion, but also led to several advertising agencies withdrawing their association from Jackson.
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Robson claims the lewd acts started with mutual fondling, then evolved to kissing, showering together, masturbation, nipple squeezing and oral sex. He said Jackson told him, “You and I were brought together by God. This is how we show our love.”
Jackson also sought to build a barrier between Robson and his parents, calling him “son” and telling him, “Don’t trust women.”
“Once the abuse started that first week, every night I was with him there was abuse, with my mother in the next room,” Robson said almost like an audition for him.”
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Jackson started spending time at Safechuck’s home, often spending the night. Stephanie would even wash the wealthy singer’s clothes. Jackson invited the family to join him on a trip to a Pepsi convention in Hawaii, and he wanted 10-year-old Safechuck to sleep in his room.
Safechuck’s mother at the time said: “I didn’t think it was appropriate for my son to go sleep with him,” Stephanie said. “And that’s how it was the first trip.”
In an audio recording heard in the documentary, Safechuck asks Jackson, “What was the best thing about Hawaii?” Creepily, he responds, “Being with you.” And at just 10 years old, he spent his entire summer with Jackson, who introduced him to celebrities such as Tina Turner and Harrison Ford, and lavished him and his family with presents and vacations.
“In Paris, he introduced me to masturbation,” Safechuck said. “And that’s how it all started.
The documentary prompted some radio stations in Canada and the Netherlands to stop playing Jackson’s music, while Oprah Winfrey was bombarded with hateful messages from Jackson’s fans after she interviewed his accusers in a special television broadcast.
Pop Idol
Jackson was a Pop idol for decades, right from the 80’s right until his death. He died of a drug overdose in 2009. His angelic voice and musical excellence made him the single most outstanding legend of music in the 20th century, upstaging the likes of Elvis Presley, who himself was a legend.
However, serious allegations of sexual abuse now threatens that legacy, after his accusers were tentatively granted a trial against his company, MJJ Productions, which could have significant implications for the legacy of the late pop icon and the wider entertainment industry.
Michael Jackson’s estate rights currently belong to the survivors of the Jackson family, including the late singer’s mother, Katherine Jackson, and his three children, Paris Jackson, Prince Jackson, and Blanket Jackson.
Jackson’s company previously argued that it could not be expected to protect the children from Jackson because he was the company’s sole owner; but the ruling of a three-judge panel on Monday that it was not excused from its duty to protect them has changed the ball game.
Ruling
However, the judge said that “it would be perverse” to find the company had no duty simply because the company had only one shareholder. The two plaintiffs had each filed suit separately, but the cases appear to be merged for the potential trial.
The ruling said the men have a legal case that can be tried, with allegations that both were molested by Jackson after the pop megastar befriended them when they were children and then groomed and sexually abused each for several years, until they reached puberty.
Robson and Safechuck allege that Jackson’s staff was complicit in Jackson’s alleged grooming and sexual abuse, and aided in covering it up, calling the staff members “co-conspirators, collaborators, facilitators and alter egos for the childhood sexual abuse alleged.”
Jackson in November of 2003 was arrested in Santa Barbara, California – two days after Neverland was raided – and indicted on 10 counts including lewd conduct with a minor, conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment, and extortion (involving a separate minor).
WadeRobson, left, and James Safechuck, Image: TAYLOR JEWELL INVISION/APThe criminal case went to trial in February of 2005, attracting ample media attention with more than 130 witnesses taking the stand, including Robson, who said that he had slept in the bed alongside Jackson but that the singer had not tried to molest him.
Jackson was ultimately found not guilty of all of the charges June 14, 2005.
Robson changed his version of events eight years later in 2013 when he sued the company representing Jackson’s estate. He said his previous testimony in support of the musical artist was the result of ‘complete manipulation and brainwashing,’ the outlet reported.
According to the latest suit, employees of Jackson’s company bought gifts and toys for the late former pop idol’s, victims using company funds, including a credit card issued by MJJ Productions.
The suit further alleges that MJJ Productions policies were designed to allow Jackson to be alone with children, and that security staff members were instructed to keep their distance when Jackson had “play time” with children at his home.
The 35-page ruling, though tentative, could potentially lead to trials in cases that have been protracted for years.
Robson and Safechuck were each suing Michael Jackson’s corporation separately, but the ruling suggests their cases will be combined when they go to trial. Jackson’s company lawyers argued the company had no legal duty to protect Robson or anyone else from Jackson, because it had no ability to control him.
The tentative ruling stated that a corporation that facilitates the sexual abuse of children by one of its employees is not excused from a duty to protect them merely because the person abusing the children solely owns the company, writing that “it would be perverse” to find no duty based on the corporate defendant having only one shareholder.
“And so we reverse the judgments entered for the corporations,” the ruling reads.
The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleges that by co-producing and airing “Leaving Neverland,” the cable channel is committing breach of contract and breach of covenant, citing a section of the deal for
This is the second time an appeals court has taken steps to restore the lawsuits.Vince Finaldi, an attorney for Robson, said he would reserve comment until a final ruling was made.
Complaints
Safechuck, 45, originally filed his complaint against MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc. in May 2014, with Robson, 40, filed his in May 2013. Their lawsuits were thrown out based on the statute of limitations, but legislative changes while their appeals were pending restored the validity of the lawsuits, reviving them in the process.
Safechuck alleges that in the late 1980s, when he was 9 years old, he met Jackson while filming a Pepsi commercial. After they met, Jackson allegedly began writing and phoning the boy, showering him with gifts, money and invites to dinners, shows and vacations, even bringing him and his mother along for a six-month tour.
According to the suit, the sexual abuse began in Paris in 1988, after Jackson and MJJ Productions made all the travel arrangements and paid all the expenses. In Jackson’s hotel room, he allegedly told the boy that he “was going to change his life by showing him how to masturbate,” before demonstrating on himself, and then coaching the child.
The sexual acts were a way of “showing love,” the music icon had allegedly stated , and from 1988 to 1992 Jackson allegedly sexually abused the child hundreds of times, in various ways that included digital penetration and Jackson “kissing his genitals,” among other acts, the suit alleges. The suit also claims that Jackson performed a faux marriage ceremony with the boy.
Safechuck was repeatedly instructed to “deny everything” and sworn to secrecy, the suit claims. Safechuck also claims that when he was around 12, Jackson began to lose interest in him in favour of a younger boy and began to prepare him for separation.
The suit further alleges that in 1987, Robson was 5 years old when Jackson’s production company first introduced the aspiring young dancer to the “Smooth Criminal” singer, after he’d won a dance contest. The prize was meeting Jackson, and he danced with him on stage the following night.
The abuse against Robson allegedly began in 1990, when Robson was 7 and had been invited to stay at the Neverland Ranch with his family for the weekend.
The suit also states that MJJ Productions helped facilitate his move from Australia to the United States in 1991, offering him employment and a place performing alongside Jackson in music videos, commercials and photo shoots.
In an elaboration of the disturbing claims, Jackson abused Robson by fondling his penis, engaging in oral sex and attempting anal rape, which Robson says occurred at the Neverland Ranch in Jackson’s bedroom, in the jacuzzi, the dance studio, the recording studio, and various hotels and condominiums.
The abuse or “circumstances suggesting sexual abuse” was witnessed by employees of MJJ Productions Inc., according to the suit, which details specific instances in which a security guard witnessed Jackson putting his hand on Robson’s crotch, and alleges that other employees found both Jackson’s and Robson’s underwear on the floor beside the bed.
Further allegations state that the MJJ Productions Inc. security staff joked that the late entertainer didn’t have any girlfriends “because he likes little boys. He likes little white butts,” and that employees were routinely sent to buy gifts and toys for Jackson’s “little friends,” using company funds, including with a credit card issued by MJJ Productions.
The suit claims that MJJ Productions also implemented policies that allowed Jackson to be alone with children, and that security staff were instructed to keep their distance when Jackson had “play time” with children in various areas of the Neverland Ranch.
The staff were also allegedly instructed to keep parents from children while the children were with Jackson, and took them on shopping or wine tasting trips to get them out of the house, and further alleged that parents were required to sleep in the guest quarters away from the main house.
No one reported the abuse to authorities, according to the suit, which alleges that MJJ Productions Inc. employees were “his co-conspirators, collaborators, facilitators and alter egos for the childhood sexual abuse alleged,” and that although they were hired to create and distribute Jackson’s multimedia entertainment, they “actually served dual purposes.”
Reputation
A trial against MJJ Productions will put Michael Jackson’s reputation under scrutiny once again. Despite his passing in 2009, the allegations of sexual abuse continue to haunt his legacy. If the accusers are successful in their legal pursuit, it could further tarnish Jackson’s reputation and solidify public perception of his involvement in inappropriate conduct. The trial’s outcome may significantly shape how the world remembers one of the most iconic figures in music history.
Residents of Los Angelis and Sacremento expressed split opinions about the prospect of a trial against the icon
Hayzel Tomas, a 34 year old English techer from Elk Grove City in Sacremento, told The Eye Of Media.Com:
” I think it is important for the accusers if their allegations are true, to be able to seek proper justice from the case. Granting a trial against MJJ Productions provides an opportunity for the accusers to seek accountability and justice for the alleged sexual abuse they claim to have suffered.
”The legal process allows their voices to be heard and their claims to be thoroughly examined. I think it is always important for victims to seek justice, regardless of the status or influence of the accused.
Lucas Moore, a 31 year olddata analyst, also from Elk Grove City in Sacremento said: ” I still have not made up my mind about these allegations, but am inclined to believe them. Such a trial against MJJ Productions has broader implications for the entertainment industry as a whole.
”It serves as a reminder that no individual or company is exempt from accountability for alleged misconduct. The industry has been grappling with revelations of sexual abuse and harassment, prompting a shift towards greater accountability and transparency”.
Industry Scrutiny
The trial against MJJ Productions could further intensify the scrutiny on the entertainment industry, reinforcing the need for robust systems to address allegations and protect individuals from abuse.
A trial against MJJ Productions has the potential to impact Michael Jackson’s dedicated fan base and the general public’s perception of him. Fans have fiercely defended Jackson’s innocence for years, and any findings or judgments from the trial may lead to further polarization and emotional reactions.
The public’s perception of Jackson’s guilt or innocence will shape how they engage with his music, support his estate, or interact with his legacy. The trial may deepen divisions among fans and force individuals to confront complex and uncomfortable truths.
Lexy Lebsck, an outstanding freelancer, from Los Angelis, said: ”a trial against MJJ Productions will be part of a broader cultural reckoning, where society grapples with the legacies of influential figures accused of misconduct.
”It could prompt an important conversation about the separation of art from the artist and raises questions about the ethical consumption of cultural products. The trial may lead to a re-evaluation of how we engage with the legacies of individuals who have faced allegations of abuse or misconduct, forcing a broader reflection on the complexities of separating an individual’s personal actions from their artistic contributions.
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