Following the end of the harrowing documentary Leaving Neverland, which centres on the alleged sexual abuse of two children by legendary pop singer Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey sat down with the victims, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, and director Dan Reed in a live interview and asked an important question: “How many people knew?”
Turning to Reed, Winfrey asked: “Who in the pop star’s inner circle enabled the abuse or turned a blind eye?”
“I think a great many people knew,” Reed responded.
Robson, who at the time of his interactions with Jackson was just seven years old explained that it was “very rare that Michael was alone”.
“He had a machine around him at all times,” he said. “Secretaries organised most of my phone calls and would organise cars to pick me up to bring me to him… Security guards were always there outside of the door.”
Robson believes that Jackson, who always vehemently denied the abuse when he was alive, could not have abused at the level he did if he was not assisted.
Latching onto this point, Oprah brought up a moment in the documentary in which it is described how parents would initially be housed next door to the room in which Michael and the children spent the night, but over time would be moved increasingly further away on the estate.
“First, you’re next door. Now there’s not a suite on this floor,” Oprah said. “I mean, somebody has to be arranging that.”
“What Wade and James are alleging is that a whole lot of people working for Michael Jackson looked the other way while they were being raped and why should those people not be held to account?” concluded Reed.
(Compiled by Warren Robertson)
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