A pair of sexual abuse lawsuits involving Michael Jackson were given new life Friday in a California appeals court.
Originally filed by Wade Robson and James Safechuck in 2013 and 2014, respectfully, the lawsuits allege that the late pop icon sexually abused them when they were young boys.
The lawsuits were dismissed in 2021 when a judge ruled that the corporations involved in the suit, MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc., could not be held liable for Jackson’s actions while he was alive.
The corporations argued that this was “because they had no ability to control Jackson—their sole owner—or his interactions with [plaintiffs]. Parties cannot be liable for neglecting to exercise powers they simply do not have.”
The lawsuit was made possible also by a new California law passed in January, which extended the statute of limitations for sexual assault cases and changed the age restriction for survivors allowed to bring their cases from 26 to 40.
Robson and Safechuck, now 40 and 45, became more widely known in 2019, when they agreed to be featured in the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland.”
Robson claims that he met Jackson when he was 5 years old, and alleges the singer molested him over a seven-year span.
Safechuck, who was 9 years old at the time, alleges Jackson sent him gifts and called him frequently, before eventually sexually abusing him.
Jackson died in 2009 at age 50, with a coroner attributing the cause of death to acute propofol intoxication.
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www.nydailynews.com
Originally filed by Wade Robson and James Safechuck in 2013 and 2014, respectfully, the lawsuits allege that the late pop icon sexually abused them when they were young boys.
The lawsuits were dismissed in 2021 when a judge ruled that the corporations involved in the suit, MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc., could not be held liable for Jackson’s actions while he was alive.
The corporations argued that this was “because they had no ability to control Jackson—their sole owner—or his interactions with [plaintiffs]. Parties cannot be liable for neglecting to exercise powers they simply do not have.”
The lawsuit was made possible also by a new California law passed in January, which extended the statute of limitations for sexual assault cases and changed the age restriction for survivors allowed to bring their cases from 26 to 40.
Robson and Safechuck, now 40 and 45, became more widely known in 2019, when they agreed to be featured in the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland.”
Robson claims that he met Jackson when he was 5 years old, and alleges the singer molested him over a seven-year span.
Safechuck, who was 9 years old at the time, alleges Jackson sent him gifts and called him frequently, before eventually sexually abusing him.
Jackson died in 2009 at age 50, with a coroner attributing the cause of death to acute propofol intoxication.
Michael Jackson abuse lawsuits revived by California court
A pair of sexual abuse lawsuits involving Michael Jackson were given new life Friday in a California appeals court.
www.nydailynews.com
