Michael Jackson supporters sue alleged victims of abuse in French court



[ad_1]

Referring to Jackson's alleged pedophilia, the former 62-year-old French nurse said, "I know it's not possible," though she's never met the star. "It was rotten – it was for making noise – it was for making money."

She is now one of three groups of fans who are suing in the French courts the two victims of Jackson's alleged assault, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, in the hope of being able to challenge an apparent defamation of their idol, deceased in 2009.

Robson and Safechuck, aged 41 and 37 respectively, claimed in a four-hour documentary that they had suffered years of sexual abuse from Jackson while they were minors in the late 1980s and 1980s. in the early 90.

Although neither one nor the other resides in France, they are prosecuted in this country where it is illegal to lay criminal charges against the deceased.

US lawyers representing Robson and Safechuck said the two men had no comment to make on the case. Officials from the Orleans court in the north of the country, where the case was heard earlier this month, confirmed that the two men were not present and were not present. were not represented by a lawyer.

Michael Jackson with Jimmy Safechuck, age 10, on a touring plane in July 1988.

Robson and Safechuck are being sued for a symbolic amount of one euro ($ 1.13) each, for "damaging the memory of the dead," according to the lawsuit.

"It is not money, it is a matter of heart," said Emmanuel Ludot, the advocate representing the supporters.

Walter, president of one of the groups, MJ Community, which has 600 members, attended the first hearing. Referring to Jackson, she said, "He had a big heart, it's not good to make those claims against someone who's not even alive to defend himself."

Myriam Walter is one of the fans who are suing the two victims of the alleged violence by Michael Jackson.

The other groups, On The Line and MJ Street, accuse the documentary of revisionism and report errors in the chronology of abuses provided by Safechuck.

Brice Najar, president of On the Line and author of several books on Jackson, explained: "I will not defend anyone, whatever the evidence, but he has already been acquitted and investigations have already been conducted. I'm 40. kids. "

The court announced that a decision would be rendered on October 4.

"Their pain is sincere"

The charges in the documentary were not the first ones against Jackson. In 1993, a 13-year-old boy accused King Pop of having sexually assaulted him for five months. The case was settled when Jackson paid close to $ 25 million.

In 2013, Jackson was acquitted of abusing another child, also 13, who had cancer at the time of the alleged offense.

Among the evidence presented by Ludot in court, there were written testimonies of dozens of members of the group: several fans were diagnosed with depression and mental problems following the publication of the documentary.

"I think their suffering is sincere," said Ludot, who won in 2014 a symbolic euro from Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, deemed to have caused distress to fans for his role in the star's death.

Although the lawyer did not disclose his fees, Walter confessed that it was "expensive".

Many French fans had booked tickets for the gigantic show of 50 performances of Jackson, which was to take place at the O2 Arena in London in 2009-10. The concerts were canceled after the death of the singer. Although the tickets cost around 800 euros, most fans do not ask for a refund. "They kept the notes like relics," said Ludot. "For them he is like Christ."

Walter created MJ Community, with the help of his first daughter, following Jackson's death. During her daughter's pregnancy, she listened carefully to her music. "Jennifer [the daughter] has known Michael all his life, "she said.

That same year, the MJ community helped organize a gathering of nearly 4,000 fans in Paris to celebrate the star's life. In 2010, the organization acquired the legal status of religion – the first group of supporters in France to do so, according to the group's lawyer and local media.

"I would do anything for him [Jackson]"said Walter, adding," I will defend it until the end. "

Michael Jackson photographed with Wade Robson, in a documentary image

Ludot said the legal battle had the full support of the Jackson family, who previously described the film as a "public lynching". The family also described Jackson's accusers as "confessed liars", in reference to affidavits made by Safechuck and Robson while Jackson was alive that he did not assault them.

Ludot said that he had been approached by groups of Jackson supporters from Switzerland, Sweden, Italy and elsewhere to clarify the name of the legend of pop via the French legal system .

In a statement, John Branca, co-executor of Jackson's estate, wrote: "We continue to hope that a victory in France will soon fuel a move in the United States to finally explore the changes of the law to protect the deceased against defamation ".

HBO, who directed the documentary, shares a parent company (AT & T) with CNN.

[ad_2]

Source link