Michael Jackson Accusers Now Allowed to Sue for Sexual Abuse

James Safechuck and Wade Robson, two men who accused Michael Jackson of sexually abusing them as kids, have just won the right to sue, according to Variety. A California appeals court decided that both men can now have their cases tried under a new California law. In 2017, a trial judge threw out their initial cases as the statute of limitations at the time required them to file before the age of 26. Safechuck and Robson were 36 and 30, respectively. But as of January 1, 2020, a new law in California allows sexual-abuse victims to sue up until they turn 40 years old. It also extends the statute of limitations on a provision that says victims can sue third-party entities tied to the abuser who knew or should have known about the abuse, and failed to take reasonable steps to stop it. “We’re glad the appellate court recognized the very strong protection that California has for kids, and we look forward to litigating these cases to trial,” Vince Finaldi, a lawyer for the two men, told Variety. Now, both alleged victims can sue MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures, two companies connected to Michael Jackson’s estate. Earlier this year, Safechuck and Robson opened up about how Michael Jackson molested and manipulated them as children in the HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, which chronicled Michael Jackson’s history of alleged child sexual abuse.