French Michael Jackson fans sue ‘Leaving Neverland’ accusers Wade Robson, James Safechuck
Article via USAToday
Three Michael Jackson fan clubs in France are suing two men who accused the singer of sexual abuse in the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland.”
The lawsuit accuses Wade Robson and James Safechuck of unfairly harming the reputation of the King of Pop, who died 10 years ago.
A lawyer for the fan clubs, Emmanuel Ludot, said he is seeking conviction under a French law against the public denunciation of a dead person.
The fan clubs are asking for one euro each in symbolic damages.
A court in the French city of Orleans held a hearing Thursday. A lawyer represented Robson and Safechuck, who in “Leaving Neverland” described years of alleged sexual abuse when they were boys and teens.
The documentary, which aired on HBO in January, centers on Robson, 36, and Safechuck, 41, who allege that Jackson began sexually abusing them at ages 7 and 10, respectively. At the time, both boys were diehard fans with entertainment aspirations of their own: Robson, who went on to choreograph for Britney Spears and ‘N Sync as an adult, met Jackson after winning a dance contest during the singer’s 1987 Bad tour in Australia. Safechuck, a child actor, appeared with Jackson that same year in a Pepsi commercial and says he began to hang out regularly with the star in Los Angeles.
Jackson’s estate denies the allegations and sent a letter supporting the lawsuit.
Previously, Jackson’s estate said in a statement issued to USA TODAY, that “Leaving Neverland” “isn’t a documentary, it is the kind of tabloid character assassination Michael Jackson endured in life, and now in death. The film takes uncorroborated allegations that supposedly happened 20 years ago and treats them as fact. … The two accusers testified under oath that these events never occurred.”