Michael Jackson Fans Protest Controversial ‘Leaving Neverland’ Documentary At Sundance
by Karen
Police outnumbered protestors at the world premiere of “Leaving Neverland,” a new documentary examining the child sexual abuse allegations against Michael Jackson that debuted at the Sundance Film Festival.
“I’m here to stand up for him,” said Brenda Jenkyns told Variety, a fan of Jackson’s who made the trek to Park City, Utah, from her home in Calgary, Canada. “It’s important that people look at the
Park City’s finest here to corral a total of two (2) protesters at the Michael Jackson accuser doc #leavingneverland pic.twitter.com/f5DdRJPxM9
— Matt Donnelly (@MattDonnelly) January 25, 2019
“Leaving Neverland,” a four-hour documentary by Dan Reed, paints a very different picture of the global phenomenon as a man who used celebrity to sexually abuse and exploit children, not unlike former SONY labelmate and recent media darling R. Kelly. The movie includes interviews with Wade Robson and James Safechuck, two men who claim they were sexually abused by Jackson when they were children. Robson’s account is controversial because he previously said under oath that Jackson never behaved inappropriately with him before changing his account in a 2016 lawsuit. Safechuck filed a separate suit in 2014.
“This film is not about giving a voice to a victim,” said Catherine Van Tighem, a fan who came to Sundance from Alberta, Canada. “The people that are featured in this film have already had their day in court and they have been legally denied. They were seeking financial gain and the case was dismissed … if Michael were alive today, this film would be considered defamation.”
Jackson was accused of molestation and was acquitted in a 2005 trial. He reached a financial settlement with another accuser, Jordan Chandler, in 1994. Both Robson and Safechuck’s lawsuits were dismissed, with the judge saying they had filed too late after the singer’s 2009 death.