Two men who have accused Michael Jackson of sexually abusing them as children, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, have been granted permission by a California appeals court to resume their lawsuits against companies owned by the late singer. The companies in question are MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc. Robson and Safechuck allege that Jackson sexually abused them for years and that employees of the two companies were complicit in the abuse.
The lawsuits claim that the employees of the companies owed a “duty of care” to the boys and failed to take steps to prevent the abuse. Wade Robson and James Safechuck’s stories were featured in the 2019 HBO documentary where they accused Jackson of molesting them and cultivating relationships with their families to gain access to them.
The two companies are currently owned by Michael Jackson’s estate, which has consistently denied the allegations. The estate’s lawyer, Jonathan Steinsapir, stated that they remain confident in Jackson’s innocence and believe the accusations are motivated by financial gain.
Vince Finaldi, the lawyer representing Robson and Safechuck, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, stating that it overturned incorrect rulings that would have set a dangerous precedent endangering children.
The lawsuits were initially filed in 2013 and 2014 but were dismissed in 2017 due to California’s statute of limitations. However, they were reopened in 2020 following the enactment of a new state law that extended the period for filing child sex abuse lawsuits. The suits were subsequently dismissed again in 2020 and 2021, but the California Second District Court of Appeal has now ruled that the corporations cannot be excused from their duty to protect children from abuse, even if they are solely owned by the perpetrator.
The cases will now return to a trial court for further proceedings. Wade Robson alleges that Jackson molested him from the age of 7 to 14, while James Safechuck claims he was abused hundreds of times between the ages of 10 and 14. Both lawsuits assert that employees of MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures facilitated the abuse.
It is worth noting that Michael Jackson had previously faced criminal investigations for alleged sexual abuse of children in 1994 and 2003. In 1994, the district attorneys decided not to proceed with the case due to the alleged victim’s refusal to testify. In 2003, Jackson was charged with child molesting and serving alcohol to minors, but he was acquitted after a trial in 2005.
Author: Ryan Scott
Just a guy
