Share
LOS ANGELES — A judge has dismissed the lawsuit of one of two men who alleged that Michael Jackson abused them as boys in the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland.”
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mark A. Young on Tuesday found that James Safechuck, 42, could not sue the two corporations Jackson owned that are named as defendants in the lawsuit, MJJ Productions Inc., and MJJ Ventures Inc.
Young said Safechuck’s lawsuit had not demonstrated that he had a relationship with the corporations that would have required them to protect him from Jackson.
“We are pleased that the court dismissed Mr. Safechuck’s case by ruling that he had no grounds to pursue such a lawsuit,” Jackson estate attorneys Howard Weitzman and Jonathan Steinsapir said in a statement.
The Jackson Estate Has Adamantly and Repeatedly Denied That He Abused Either of the Boys
An email seeking comment from Safechuck’s attorney was not immediately returned.
It’s the second time Safechuck’s case, filed in 2013, has been thrown out. A judge dismissed it in 2017, but an appeals court revived it early this year after California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new law giving those who allege childhood sexual abuse longer to file lawsuits.
The similar lawsuit of Safechuck’s fellow accuser and “Leaving Neverland” subject Wade Robson, which was also revived by the appeals court, remains alive.
The Jackson estate has adamantly and repeatedly denied that he abused either of the boys, and it is suing HBO over “Leaving Neverland.”
The Associated Press does not typically name victims of sexual abuse. But Robson and Safechuck have repeatedly come forward and approved of the use of their names and faces.
RELATED TOPICS:
In a Calendar Rarity, Hanukkah Starts This Year on Christmas Day
18 hours ago
A Look at the $100 Billion in Disaster Relief in the Government Spending Bill
18 hours ago
It’s Eggnog Season. The Boozy Beverage Dates Back to Medieval England but Remains a Holiday Hit
18 hours ago
9-Year-Old Among 5 Killed in Christmas Market Attack in Germany
18 hours ago
This French Bulldog Is So Fetch: Meet Toaster Strudel
20 hours ago
The Fed Expects to Cut Rates More Slowly in 2025. What That Could Mean for Mortgages, Debt and More
23 hours ago
Jeffrey Sachs Warns of Looming US War With Iran