Recommendations of the Editorial team
A California judge on Friday (June 12) agreed to a new trial date in the abuse case brought by Wade Robson and James Safechuck, the two Michael Jackson accusers in the 2019 documentary “Leaving Neverland.”
The two men and their lawyer, John Carpenter, had originally pushed for the case to be heard before the release of the biopic “Michael,” directed by “Training Day” director Antoine Fuqua. But the procedure was delayed several times and was most recently scheduled for October 2027.
On Friday, both sides agreed to extend deadlines that would have forced an earlier hearing. Their reasoning was that Safechuck’s testimony had been postponed because of his attorney’s busy schedule and that the discovery referee responsible for several deposition hearings had limited availability.
Judge Michael E. Whitaker set a new trial start date of February 14, 2028, but ordered another hearing in September to keep the trial on track. When the judge stated that “everything was progressing quite well”, almost “smoothly”, the lawyers spoke up.
Not a smooth process
“Smooth is a bit much,” Carpenter said. “The subject matter is of course highly contentious, but we are working together as best we can,” said Jonathan Steinsapir, an attorney for the Jackson estate. When the judge asked whether a second discovery referee might also serve as a mediator, Steinsapir said he would have to discuss that with his client first.
Robson, a choreographer and director, and Safechuck, a writer, actor and director, sued MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures in separate lawsuits – in 2013 and 2014, respectively – for negligence, breach of duty and intentional infliction of emotional distress. In 2024, they secured consolidation of their cases after previously dismissed claims were reinstated on appeal. The appeals court found that companies can have an independent duty of protection to victims of abuse, even if they are “solely owned” by an alleged perpetrator.
Years of abuse alleged
The plaintiffs allege that Jackson sexually abused them for years as minors and that employees of his companies MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures enabled and covered up the alleged misconduct. Robson, 43, met Jackson at a dance competition – he was five years old at the time. He claims the singer began abusing him several years later during visits to Jackson’s Neverland Ranch in California.
Safechuck, 48, met Jackson while filming a Pepsi commercial. According to him, Jackson began sexually abusing him in 1988 – when Safechuck was 10 years old – and allegedly abused him hundreds of times over the next four years.
Jackson, who died in 2009, always denied allegations of child sexual abuse. Prosecutors in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara investigated allegations involving three boys but declined to prosecute in 1994 after an alleged victim refused to testify following a settlement between Jackson and the boy’s family.
Acquittal in 2005
Jackson was charged in a separate abuse case in 2003 and acquitted on all counts after a trial in 2005.