Michael Jackson‘s estate has filed a lawsuit against HBO over the planned broadcast of the bombshelldocumentaryLeaving Neverland.
In the suit, the estate claim the film violates a clause in a 1992 contract, written up ahead of a televised concert that year — in which HBO agreed to not speak ill of Jackson.
Michael Jackson.Michael Ochs Archive/Getty
In the lawsuit, the estate calls the HBO documentary a “posthumous character assassination,” violating the non-disparagement terms of the 1992 contract.
“Ten years after his passing, there are still those out to profit from his enormous worldwide success and take advantage of his eccentricities. Michael is an easy target because he is not here to defend himself and the law does not protect the deceased from defamation, no matter how extreme the lies are.”
The lawsuit added, “The real victims here are the primary beneficiaries of the Estate, Michael’s three children, who are forced to endure this attack on their father, 10 years after they buried him, and when he has no chance to respond.”
“The days were filled with magical, childhood adventure experiences. Playing tag, watching movies, eating junk food,” Robson said in the clip. “Anything you could ever want as a child.”
Through old videos and photos, Safechuck and Robson can be seen spending time with Jackson on private planes and at the singer’s Neverland Ranch.
But the clip quickly took a turn as Robson and Safechuck alluded to the disturbing allegations that Jackson abused them. “Secrets will eat you up. You feel so alone,” Safechuck said.
Added Robson: “He told me if they ever found out what we were doing, he and I would go to jail for the rest of our lives … I want to be able to speak the truth as loud as I had to speak the lie for so long.”
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“This is yet another lurid production in an outrageous and pathetic attempt to exploit and cash in on Michael Jackson,” the statement read.“Wade Robson and James Safechuck have both testified under oath that Michael never did anything inappropriate toward them. Safechuck and Robson, the latter a self-proclaimed ‘master of deception’, filed lawsuits against Michael’s Estate, asking for millions of dollars.Both lawsuits were dismissed.”
“This so called ‘documentary’ is just another rehash of dated and discredited allegations,” the statement continued. “It’s baffling why any credible filmmaker would involve himself with this project.”
The documentary’s director, however, rebuked these claims in a statement to PEOPLE. “Anyone who sees the film will know it is solely about hearing the stories of two specific individuals and their families in their own words, and that is a focus we are very proud of,” Reed said. “We feel no need to include the opinions of people with no direct knowledge of what happened to those individuals.”
Leaving Neverlandpremieres March 3 and 4 on HBO.
source: people.com
