Judges in a US court have ruled that two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who allege they were sexually abused by Michael Jackson as children, can revive a lawsuit against his companies. The men, both in their 40s, claim that Jackson abused them during their childhood years. Now, they can proceed with lawsuits against the singer’s companies, asserting that these entities had a responsibility to ensure their protection.
Robson and Safechuck claim that the abuse occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s while they were staying at Jackson’s Neverland ranch. These allegations were brought to public attention through the 2019 documentary “Leaving Neverland,” which faced strong backlash from Jackson’s family, who termed it a “public lynching.”
In 2020, a Los Angeles judge ruled against Safechuck, contending that Jackson’s businesses were not obligated to provide care to him. A year later, a similar ruling was issued for Robson.
However, an appeals court in California overturned these decisions on Friday, stating that a corporation facilitating child sexual abuse by one of its employees cannot be excused from a duty to protect those children, even if it is solely owned by the perpetrator.
Vince Finaldi, the lawyer representing Safechuck and Robson, welcomed the court’s decision, emphasizing that it rectified previous rulings that were against California law and could have set a dangerous precedent.
On the other side, Jonathan Steinsapir, representing Jackson’s estate, expressed complete confidence in Jackson’s innocence, dismissing the allegations as contradictory to credible evidence and independent corroboration.
SOURCE: Ref Image from Saudi Gazette
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