Michael Jackson’s estate cannot be sued by Wade Robson over allegations of historic child sex abuse, a Los Angeles court has ruled.
A judge said on Monday that Robson cannot sue Jackson’s companies MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures for ‘facilitating’ the alleged abuse.
Robson, 38, has indicated he will appeal the decision.
Michael Jackson’s estate has successfully convinced judges to reject attempts to sue the company over alleged childhood sexual abuse
A Los Angeles judge ruled on Monday that Wade Robson cannot sue companies MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures for allegedly facilitating the abuse
The choreographer first sued Jackson in 2013 over historical sexual abuse that he claims went on for nearly a decade.
The estate successfully argued they were entitled to a summary judgement for Jackson’s alleged conduct because they did not control his actions.
It also claimed the companies did not owe Robson anything under the law, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Several allegations of sexual abuse by Michael Jackson have emerged after his death, from a drug overdose, in 2009
The choreographer first sued Jackson in 2013 over historical sexual abuse that he claims went on for nearly a decade (Pictured, Michael Jackson Wade Robson in an undated image)
County Superior Court Judge Mark A. Young tentatively agreed with the arguments on Monday, noting the estate was not legally bound to preventing the alleged sexual abuse of Robson.
Young wrote: ‘There is no evidence supporting Plaintiff’s contention that Defendants exercised control over Jackson,
‘The evidence further demonstrates that Defendants had no legal ability to control Jackson, because Jackson had complete and total ownership of the corporate defendants.
‘Without control, there is no special relationship or duty that exists between Defendants and Plaintiff. In addition, there is no evidence of misfeasance by Defendants.’
The case was previously thrown out by Judge Mitchell Beckloff in 2017 after it was found Robson had filed the claims outside the state’s statute of limitations.
But, the case was resuscitated in 2020 after Californian law extended the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims.
Michael Jackson’s estate’s lawyer told the Hollywood Reporter in a statement: ‘As of today, a summary judgment AGAINST Wade Robson has been granted three different times by two different judges of the Superior Court,
‘Wade Robson has spent the last 8 years pursuing frivolous claims in different lawsuits against Michael Jackson’s estate and companies associated with it.
‘Robson has taken nearly three dozen depositions and inspected and presented hundreds of thousands of documents trying to prove his claims, yet a Judge has once again ruled that Robson’s claims have no merit whatsoever, that no trial is necessary and that his latest case is dismissed.’
Robson’s lawyer also made a statement to the outlet. It said: ‘This decision of Judge Mark A. Young suffers from the same fatal flaws as the prior decision of prior Judge Mitchell Beckloff, which we were able to overturn on appeal,
‘For this reason, we will be appealing it to the Court of Appeal, and to the Supreme Court if necessary. If allowed to stand, the decision would set a dangerous precedent that would leave thousands of children working in the entertainment industry vulnerable to sexual abuse by persons in places of power.
‘The children of our state deserve protection, and we will not stop fighting until we insure that every child is safe.’
Wade Robson (left) and James Safechuck (right) appeared together in the harrowing 2019 HBO documentary Finding Neverland, where they detailed their allegations of abuse
Wade Robson (left) and James Safechuck (right) are pictured with Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed (center)
Another man, James Safechuck, 43, has also faced similar difficulties in bringing a case against Michael Jackson’s estate for alleged sexual abuse.
A judge ruled similarly that Jackson’s estate did not bear any fiduciary duty to protect Safechuck last October.
The pair appeared together in the harrowing 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, where they detailed their allegations of abuse.
In the documentary, the two former child actors accuse the late singer of repeatedly raping them at his Californian home in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Jackson shaking hands with a young James Safechuck. This undated image was shown in the Leaving Neverland HBO documentary
Robson and Safechuck’s molestation accusations aired in the HBO documentary in January 2019, leading to a huge backlash against the singer.
In response, radio stations in New Zealand and Canada pulled Jackson songs from the airwaves.
The family of Jackson, who died from a drug overdose at the age of 50 in 2009, denied the claims and denounced the film, comparing it to a ‘public lynching’.
Jackson’s loyal supporters launched campaigns to discredit the two men with posters on London buses and street demonstrations over the documentary.
Robson and Safechuck both gave graphic details of what allegedly happened when they were alone with the pop star.
Safechuck, who met Jackson in 1986 on the set of a Pepsi advert, alleges he was abused for a number of years and was showered with gifts while the singer groomed both him and his family.
James Safechuck and Michael Jackson 1988 when he was pictured holding hands with the King of Pop as he accompanied him on tour
Australian Robson was five when he first met Jackson after winning a dance competition in his home town of Brisbane, and alleges he was abused while staying at the singer’s 2,700-acre Neverland ranch in Santa Barabra County, California.
Robson has faced questions about why he is now alleging abuse after appearing as a defense witness for Jackson in his 2005 court cause for child abuse.
He said he was motivated to lie in 2005 because he was ‘in love with Michael’ and he wanted to do everything he could to save the man that he saw as his father figure.
Jackson’s estate also successfully filed a $100 million lawsuit against HBO, accusing the broadcaster of breaching a contract that was signed by Jackson in 1992 when his Dangerous World Tour aired on the premium cable channel.
The contract allegedly had a non-disparagement clause that was breached with the film aired, according to court documents.
Since its broadcast campaigns pleading Jackson’s innocence sprung up on both sides of the Atlantic.
