Michael Jackson molestation documentary brings up new emotions
'Michael wouldn’t do anything like that,' says his family as new 'damning documentary' is set to be aired on March 3.
In this file photo taken on June 3, 2005 Michael Jackson leaves the courtroom on a break at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse for the second day of closing arguments in his child molestation trial in Santa Maria, California. POOL/AFP/File/KEVORK DJANSEZIAN
HBO’s two-part four-hour documentary Leaving Neverland hasn’t even screened yet and is already causing a stir worldwide. The documentary, which airs on March 3 and 4, centres on two of the children whose names are central to the Michael Jackson molestation accusations.
In the documentary, Wade Robson and James Safechuck discuss in painful detail the molestation they say they experienced at the hands of pop superstar Michael Jackson when they were children, causing Michael’s fans, family and followers to criticise the movie before it has been seen.
Screened just once so far, on January 25 at the Sundance film festival, Leaving Neverland prompted swift backlash from Jackson’s estate which is suing HBO for $100 million, in an attempt to prevent it from airing.
According to one reviewer: “It is a slow, methodical, measured, and devastating rebuttal to claims that victims of sexual assault in general, and Robson and Safechuck in particular, are just ‘in it’ for the fame and the money, but this hasn’t stopped fans from lashing out and giving the film a 17% audience rating on Google.”
In an interview with Gayle King on CBS This Morning on February 27, Jackie, Marlon, and Tito Jackson, the star’s brothers, along with Taj Jackson, his nephew, lashed out at the claims that the King of Pop sexually abused the documentary’s subjects and pointed out that both Robson and Safechuck had defended Jackson against past claims of sexual abuse and said under oath that he never behaved inappropriately with them.
Safechuck gave a sworn statement to authorities for a molestation case involving another child in 1993, and Robson defended Jackson in 2005 when the star faced criminal charges for allegedly molesting a 13-year-old boy. Robson now says he lied under oath to protect Jackson.
The family also expressed shock with director Dan Reed who they say never reached out to them for comment while making his film.
“He took what they were saying at face value,” Marlon said. “He trusted them — which there’s nothing wrong with that — but you must verify.”
The family also added that had not seen the movie and had no plans to watch it.
“We know our brother,” Marlon said. “Michael wouldn’t do anything like that.”
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