California Appeals Court Allows Lawsuits Against Companies Owned by Michael Jackson to Proceed
On Friday, a California appeals court ruled that two men who have accused Michael Jackson of sexually abusing them as children can resume their lawsuits against companies owned by the late singer. Wade Robson, 40, and James Safechuck, 45, allege that Jackson sexually abused them for years and that employees of the companies, MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc., were complicit in the abuse.
The lawsuits claim that employees of the companies were acting as “co-conspirators, collaborators, facilitators, and alter egos” for Jackson’s abuse. Robson and Safechuck’s stories were prominently featured in the 2019 HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland,” in which they accused Jackson of molesting them and manipulating their families to gain access to them.
Both companies are now owned by Jackson’s estate, which has consistently denied the allegations. In response to the court’s decision, Jonathan Steinsapir, a lawyer for the estate, stated, “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 Safechuck and Robson, praised the appeals court’s ruling, stating that it corrected “incorrect rulings in these cases, which were against California law and would have set a dangerous precedent that endangered children.”
The suits were initially filed against the companies in 2013 and 2014 but were dismissed in 2017 due to California’s statute of limitations. However, they were reopened in 2020 when a new state law extended the period for filing lawsuits in child sex abuse cases.
In October 2020 and April 2021, the lawsuits were dismissed again by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge who ruled that the corporations and their employees did not have a legal obligation to protect the men from Jackson. Nevertheless, the California Second District Court of Appeal overturned this decision, stating that a corporation facilitating child sexual abuse is not exempt from a duty to protect the victims, even if it is solely owned by the perpetrator.
Justice John Shepard Wiley Jr. noted in a concurring opinion that for the purpose of civil liability, the corporations acted solely on Jackson’s behalf, and he had a duty of care towards Robson and Safechuck. He added, “These corporations could have taken cost-effective steps to reduce the risk of harm.”
The consolidated cases will now be sent back to a trial court for further proceedings. Robson, now a choreographer and director, claims that Jackson molested him from the age of 7 to 14. Safechuck alleges that he was abused by Jackson for four years after meeting him during a Pepsi commercial shoot at the age of 10. Both suits implicate employees of MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures in facilitating the abuse.
It is worth noting that prior to these lawsuits, Jackson had faced two previous criminal investigations for alleged child sexual abuse. In 1994, district attorneys decided not to press charges due to the primary accuser refusing to testify. Jackson settled a civil lawsuit with the accuser’s family for $20 million. In 2003, Jackson was charged with child molesting and serving alcohol to minors but was acquitted after a lengthy trial in 2005.
The outcome of these lawsuits will undoubtedly have significant implications for the legacy of Michael Jackson, as well as for the alleged victims and the companies now under scrutiny.