January 1, Legal Battle Reignites Over Alleged Michael Jackson Sexual Abuse Cases

In a significant legal development, a California appeals court has rejuvenated lawsuits filed by two men who accused the late pop icon Michael Jackson of sexually abusing them over several years.

Michael Jackson sexual abuse lawsuit revived pic.twitter.com/VtnAICxM2C

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The three-judge panel from the 2nd District Court of Appeal in California, on Friday, ruled in favor of the lawsuits presented by Wade Robson and James Safechuck.

The court declared that these cases should never have been dismissed, emphasizing that the two Jackson-owned corporations might bear responsibility in safeguarding the alleged victims.

Both Robson and Safechuck contend that Jackson victimized them during their childhood years, a narrative that garnered widespread attention following the release of the 2019 HBO documentary, “Leaving Neverland.”

Recalling their alleged experiences, Robson mentioned that his acquaintance with Jackson began when he was only five, subsequently appearing in three of Jackson’s music videos.

He alleges that the abuse spanned seven years thereafter.

Conversely, Safechuck’s interaction with Jackson started at the age of nine during the shoot of a Pepsi commercial.

According to his lawsuit, Jackson then frequently called him, showered him with gifts, and initiated the alleged sexual abuse.

The duo initiated their legal actions against MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures, the corporations where Jackson was the sole stakeholder, in 2013 and 2014.

Following Jackson’s demise in 2009, the cases were initially dismissed in 2017, citing that they exceeded the statute of limitations.

However, in 2020, a legislative change in California, which extended the time limit for childhood abuse victims to seek justice, enabled the reexamination of these cases.

Despite this revival, a Los Angeles judge in 2021 ruled that the two entities lacked any “legal ability” to monitor or influence Jackson’s actions, hence they were not liable for any alleged misconduct, leading to another dismissal.

In a significant twist, the recent California appeals court decision disputed the earlier judgment.

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The court remarked, “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.”

They further added that it would be inappropriate to negate any responsibility solely based on the corporation having a single shareholder.

Consequently, the verdicts favoring the corporations were reversed.

Reacting to this latest development, Vince Finaldi, the lawyer representing Robson and Safechuck, lauded the court’s ruling.

He affirmed that the prior verdicts were contradictory to California law and could have established a hazardous precedent, compromising children’s safety.

“We eagerly look forward to a trial on the merits,” he added.

In response, Jonathan Steinsapir, defending the Jackson estate, expressed their dismay over the reversal.

While communicating with The Associated Press, Steinsapir stated, “Two distinguished trial judges repeatedly dismissed these cases on numerous occasions over the last decade because the law required it.”

He continued to emphasize their unwavering belief in Jackson’s innocence, citing the absence of credible evidence and motives rooted in financial gains for the allegations.

Previously in July, during the case review, Steinsapir contended that it’s not reasonable to legally mandate employees to curb their superior’s actions.

He elaborated on the unrealistic expectations by saying, “It would require low-level employees to confront their supervisor and call them pedophiles.”

The cases now await a jury trial in Los Angeles, ensuring further deliberation and examination of these grave allegations.

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