Court rules that 2 men alleging sexual abuse by Michael Jackson can pursue legal claims

A California High Court has ruled that two men identified as Wade Robson and James Safechuck who both alleged sexual abuse by late pop singer, Michael Jackson can pursue legal claims against two of his companies.

A lower court had earlier dismissed lawsuits brought forward by the two men back in 2014 because California’s statute of limitations required that claims of childhood sexual abuse be filed before an accuser’s 26th birthday.

However, the High Court made the ruling after a new law, which came into effect on 1 January, extends the timeframe up to a person’s 40th birthday.

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Both Mr Robson and Mr Safechuck who claim they were abused by Jackson from the ages of seven and 10 while staying at his Neverland ranch in the late 80s and early 90s also described the documentary ‘Leaving Neverland’ as a “public lynching”.

Vince Finaldi, the lawyer for the two men, said in a statement following the ruling: “We are pleased that the Court has recognised the strong protections California has put into place for sexual abuse victims under the state’s new law extending the statute of limitations.”

Howard Weitzman, a lawyer for Jackson’s estate, said: “The Court of Appeal’s ruling merely revived lawsuits against Michael Jackson’s companies, which absurdly claim that Michael’s employees are somehow responsible for sexual abuse that never happened.”

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