Michael Jackson's Accusers Wade Robson and James Safechuck Agree to Fight Together in Trial Over Pop Star's Alleged Abuse
The release of the film in 2025 aligns with a civil trial related to allegations made by Wade Robson and Jimmy Safechuck.
Feb. 19 2024, Published 10:01 a.m. ET
Michael Jackson’s companies agreed to let the two men suing over alleged sexual assault by the late pop star when they were children combine their cases into one trial.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, lawyers for Jackson’s companies informed the court they were on board with Wade Robson and James Safechuck’s plea to consolidate their lawsuits into one case.
In the motion, the lawyers slammed Safechuck for not consulting with them before filing their motion about the trial.
"Plaintiffs’ counsel did not contact Defendants’ counsel before filing their consolidation motion. Had Defendants’ counsel been contacted, the parties could likely have resolved this matter without unnecessary motion practice," the motion read.
The lawsuits were brought years after Jackson's 2009 death.
As we first reported, Robson, 41, and Safechuck, 36, recently asked the court to let them fight Jackson’s companies together.
“This motion is made on the grounds that all actions arise out of the same type of harmful, abusive, course of conduct, by the same Defendants, at the same locations and physical places, in the presence of the same employees, employed by Defendants, during the same time period, in a pattern of abuse that was common to both Plaintiffs,” their lawyers said in a recent filing.
Wade and Michael were close for years.
“All matters involve common questions of law and fact; all matters will involve the same witnesses and their respective testimonies, and two separate trials may also result in entirely different verdicts and a waste of judicial resources," the motion added. “Complete consolidation and a single trial for all of these matters will significantly reduce redundant costs and delays and further serve the interests of judicial economy and convenience of all of those involved.”
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Robson and Safechuck both filed bombshell lawsuits in 2013. Robson claimed he was abused by Jackson when he was 7 in 1990. He claimed the abuse continued on for years.
Michael's Neverland Ranch
"We are disappointed with the Court's decision. Two distinguished trial judges repeatedly dismissed these cases on numerous occasions over the last decade because the law required it. We remain fully confident that Michael is innocent of these allegations, which are contrary to all credible evidence and independent corroboration, and which were only first made years after Michael’s death. We trust that the truth will ultimately prevail with Michael’s vindication yet again. Michael Jackson himself said, ‘lies run sprints, but the truth runs marathons,'" Jonathan Steinsapir, a lawyer for Jackson’s estate said after the decision.
Wade Robson.
Safechuck said he appeared in Jackson’s 1988 Pepsi commercial when he was 10. He said the singer allegedly sexually assaulted him during his 1988 Bad Tour and the abuse allegedly continued for four years.
Both had their lawsuits dismissed by the lower court. Recently, the California Court of Appeals reversed the 2021 decision and ruled the cases would proceed to trial. The parties are now preparing to face off in court.