PARK CITY, Utah (CelebrityAccess) The four-hour version of “Leaving Neverland,” which tells the tale of two men who accuse Michael Jackson of sexual molestation when they were children, received a standing ovation at its debut at the Sundance Film Festival, but is being skewered by the Jackson family, which calls it a character assassination.
The two-part production is expected to debut on HBO in the spring. In the film, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, claim they were molested by Jackson and were threatened to support Jackson in his 2005 molestation trial. There is reportedly a scene in the movie where a 9-year-old Safechuck has a mock wedding with Jackson where they profess their undying love to each other.
US Weekly writer Mara Reinstien saw the movie and tweeted, “Shaking. Wow. We were all wrong when we cheered for Michael Jackson. He was a pedophile.” The subtweets attacked her with passion.
Shaking. Wow. We were all wrong when we cheered for Michael Jackson. He was a pedophile. #LeavingNeverland #SundanceFilmFestival2019
— Mara Reinstein (@MaraReinstein) January 25, 2019
“MJ fans: I’ve been affiliated with Us Weekly since 2002. I wrote the cover story the day he died,” she responded. “I am well-aware of the history. And I still believe them. See the movie, and then we’ll discuss. Yelling at me won’t help your cause.”
“Go do your research about these opportunists,” the Jackson family said of Robson and Safechuck. “The facts don’t lie, people do.”
“They never interviewed a single solitary soul who knew Michael except the two perjurers and their families,” the family adds. “That is not journalism, and it’s not fair, yet the media are perpetuating these stories.”
The full statement:
Michael Jackson is our brother and son. We are furious that the media, who without a shred of proof or single piece of physical evidence, chose to believe the word of two admitted liars over the word of hundreds of families and friends around the world who spent time with Michael, many at Neverland, and experienced his legendary kindness and global generosity. We are proud of what Michael Jackson stands for.
People have always loved to go after Michael. He was an easy target because he was unique. But Michael was subjected to a thorough investigation which included a surprise raid of Neverland and other properties as well as a jury trial where Michael was found to be COMPLETELY INNOCENT. There has never been one piece of proof of anything. Yet the media is eager to believe these lies.
Michael always turned the other cheek, and we have always turned the other cheek when people have gone after members of our family – that is the Jackson way. But we can’t just stand by while this public lynching goes on, and the vulture tweeters and others who never met Michael go after him. Michael is not here to defend himself, otherwise these allegations would not have been made.
The creators of this film were not interested in the truth. They never interviewed a single solitary soul who knew Michael except the two perjurers and their families. That is not journalism, and it’s not fair, yet the media are perpetuating these stories.
But the truth is on our side. Go do your research about these opportunists. The facts don’t lie, people do. Michael Jackson was and always will be 100% innocent of these false allegations.
The Jackson Family
