The sexual abuse lawsuit filed by Wade Robson against the late King of Pop Michael Jackson is inching closer to trial.
Robson’s civil case against Jackson’s estate has a trial conference set for February 28, 2024, Radar Online reports. During the hearing, Judge Mark A. Young will set a trial date for Robson’s case.
Robson, 41, appeared in HBO’s 2019 docuseries Leaving Neverland where he shared alleged accounts of being molested by Jackson at the Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara, CA when he was seven years old. Robson claims his sister was sleeping in another room at the time the alleged abuse took place.
He also alleges the abuse continued for seven years.
“We can never tell anyone what WE are doing,” court documents say Jackson allegedly told Robson.
“People are ignorant and they would never understand that we love each other, and this is how we show it. If anyone were to ever find out, OUR lives and careers would be over.”
In August, the California Court of Appeals reversed a
2021 decision that tossed out Robson’s lawsuits against Jackson’s MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures. Robson spent two weeks at Neverland Ranch and returned to his native Australia after the stay where he allegedly continued his relationship with Jackson through faxes and frequent telephone calls that lasted for “hours each week,” the lawsuit states.The former choreographer claims Jackson encouraged him to call him “Dad” while Jackson referred to him as “Son.” Robson claims he realized he had been systematically abused years later after suffering multiple nervous breakdowns along with feelings of extreme stress, anxiety, fear, depression, and insomnia.
Jackson’s late lawyer, Howard Weitzman, previously shut down Robson’s claims citing the two times Robson testified under oath to experiencing no abuse from the singer.
“This is a young man who has testified at least twice under oath over the past 20 years and said in numerous interviews that Michael Jackson never did anything inappropriate to him or with him,” Weitzman said.
“Now, nearly four years after Michael has passed this sad and less than credible claim has been made. We are confident that the court will see this for what it is.”
The upcoming trial might finally put an end to the case.
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