Michael Jackson Trial: Wade Robson and James Safechuck Facing Calls For Mental Examination, Subpoena Being Issued Over Unaired 'Leaving Neverland' Footage
Feb. 29 2024, Published 11:02 a.m. ET
Michael Jackson’s companies are gearing up to battle the two men who sued over alleged abuse they suffered by the late pop star.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, lawyers for Jackson’s businesses revealed they plan to take mental examinations of Wade Robson and James Safechuck.
Michael Jackson died 16 years ago.
They said Robson participated in an independent mental examination in August 2016. The lawyers believe the exam is “stale” and needs to be redone to reassess Robson’s current mental state.
Robson and Safechuck filed bombshell lawsuits in 2013.
Robson claimed Jackson started abusing him when he was 7 and said it continued for years. Safechuck appeared in a 1988 Pepsi commercial with Jackson when he was 10.
Safechuck claimed Jackson sexually assaulted him during his 1988 Bad Tour and the abuse continued for yerars.
Both men appeared in the 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland. The film, directed by Dan Reed, focused on Robson and Safechuck’s allegations about Jackson and their legal battles. The filing said Robson and Safechuck are appearing in a follow-up film on the matter.
Both Robson and Safechuck initially had their lawsuits dismissed due to the statute of limitations. However, after a new law was introduced, the California Court of Appeals reversed the decision to dismiss the cases and ruled the suits could proceed to trial.
As RadarOnline.com first reported, Robson and Safechuck recently agreed to consolidate their cases into one. The accusers plan to fight together in court.
Wade Robson and James Safechuuck got permission to join forces and have one trial against Jackson's companies.
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- Michael Jackson’s Accusers Wade Robson and James Safechuck Demand Trial Start Before Biopic Release
- Michael Jackson's Accusers Wade Robson and James Safechuck Agree to Fight Together in Trial Over Pop Star's Alleged Abuse
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Now, Jackson’s companies, who are the defendants in the case, laid out the work needed to be done before trial.
Lawyers for the companies are interested in the unaired Leaving Neverland footage. They claimed Safechuck’s allegations differed “materially between his statements in his complaint and those in Leaving Neverland.”
The lawyers added, “Defendants believe there are significant amounts of unused interview footage with Plaintiff (and the plaintiff in the related case, Wade Robson) that will demonstrate additional inconsistencies between Plaintiff’s claims and his later recitations of the alleged abuse, going directly to Plaintiff’s credibility.”
The lawyer for MJ’s companies said they believe the director Reed has the footage, who is located in the United Kingdom. “Defendants may need to use the Hague Convention process to obtain information from Mr. Reed and his production company,” the filing read.
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Further, they said there are dozens of third-party witnesses “who have relevant information, several of whom are believed to be located outside the United States.”
In addition, the companies revealed they plan to introduce evidence form Jackson’s criminal cases that were dismissed.
“Additionally, as the Court is likely aware, there have been highly publicized claims previously asserted against Mr. Jackson for sexual abuse that Plaintiff may seek to introduce. Two of these cases, a 1993 grand jury investigation and a 2005 trial both brought by the Santa Barbara district attorney, resulted in substantial testimonial evidence that (depending on the witness and evidence) the parties may seek to introduce or exclude in whole or in part.”
Robson and Safechuck have yet to respond to the calls for a mental examination.