Former child star's sex abuse case against Michael Jackson is dismissed as judge says his estate is not liable

  • Wade Robson, 35, accused Michael Jackson of molesting him for years as a child
  • The accusations came against Jackson's corporations after the singer's death
  • Tuesday's ruling against Robson found Jackson's corporations weren't liable
  • The judge did not rule on the credibility of Robson's allegations themselves

By Associated Press and Kelly Mclaughlin For Mailonline

Published: 23:07 EST, 19 December 2017 | Updated: 16:25 EST, 20 December 2017

A judge on Tuesday dismissed the lawsuit brought by a choreographer who alleged Michael Jackson molested him for seven years as a child, resolving one of the last major claims against the late singer's holdings.

The summary judgment ruling against the now-35-year-old Wade Robson found that the two Jackson-owned corporations, which were the remaining defendants in the case, were not liable for Robson's exposure to Jackson.

Judge Mitchell L Beckloff's did not rule on the credibility of Robson's allegations themselves.

The summary judgment ruling against the now-35-year-old Wade Robson found that the two Jackson-owned corporations, which were the remaining defendants in the case, were not liable for Robson's exposure to Jackson
The summary judgment ruling against the now-35-year-old Wade Robson (pictured)found that the two Jackson-owned corporations, which were the remaining defendants in the case, were not liable for Robson's exposure to Jackson

The summary judgment ruling against the now-35-year-old Wade Robson (left) found that the two Michael Jackson-owned corporations, which were the remaining defendants in the case, were not liable for Robson's exposure to Jackson (right). Judge Mitchell L Beckloff's did not rule on the credibility of Robson's allegations themselves

Robson testified in Jackson's defense at the singer's 2005 criminal trial, saying he had spent the night at Jackson's Neverland Ranch more than 20 times and usually slept in Jackson's room, but Jackson never molested him

Robson testified in Jackson's defense at the singer's 2005 criminal trial, saying he had spent the night at Jackson's Neverland Ranch more than 20 times and usually slept in Jackson's room, but Jackson never molested him

Robson's attorney, Vince Finaldi, said he strongly disagrees and plans to appeal.

Robson, a native of Australia who has worked with Britney Spears and NSYNC, met Jackson when he was five years old.

He testified in Jackson's defense at the singer's 2005 criminal trial, saying he had spent the night at Jackson's Neverland Ranch more than 20 times and usually slept in Jackson's room, but Jackson never molested him. 

During a 2005 trial Blanca Francia, Jackson's former housekeeper, testified that she saw a young Robson and Jackson in the shower together

During a 2005 trial Blanca Francia, Jackson's former housekeeper, testified that she saw a young Robson and Jackson in the shower together

Jackson was accused at the time of sexually abusing Gavin Arvizo, a 13-year-old cancer survivor.

During the same trial Blanca Francia, Jackson's former housekeeper, testified that she saw a young Robson and Jackson in the shower together.

Jackson was cleared of all 14 counts of allegations against him in 2005. 

Then in 2013 about four years after the singer's death, Robson sued the Jackson estate for what his attorneys described as molestation that spanned a seven-year period.

A court ruled in 2015 that Robson had filed his lawsuit too late to get any of Jackson's estate.

That left two remaining defendants, both corporate entities owned by Jackson in his lifetime: MJJ Productions, Inc., and MJJ Ventures, Inc.

The judge ruled Tuesday that those two corporate defendants could not be held responsible for Robson's exposure to Jackson, the way a school or the Boy Scouts can be found liable for bringing together an abusive adult and a child victim.

Finaldi said the reasoning sets a dangerous precedent.

Then in 2013 about four years after the singer's death, Robson sued the Jackson estate for what his attorneys described as molestation that spanned a seven-year period
A court ruled in 2015 that Robson had filed his lawsuit too late to get any of Jackson's estate, but he continued to file accusations against to corporate entities owned by Jackson in his lifetime

Then in 2013 about four years after the singer's death, Robson sued the Jackson estate for what his attorneys described as molestation that spanned a seven-year period. A court ruled in 2015 that Robson had filed his lawsuit too late to get any of Jackson's estate, but he continued to file accusations against to corporate entities owned by Jackson in his lifetime

'What the judge is saying is that you if own a corporation or a company, you can hire people, use these people to facilitate your sexual abuse, use them to facilitate victims,' Finaldi told The Associated Press by phone. 

'So long as you're the sole owner of that corporation, the corporation can't be held liable,' Finaldi added. 

Jackson estate attorney Howard Weitzman said in a statement that he 'believes the court made the correct decision in dismissing Wade Robson's claim against it'.

He added: 'In my opinion Mr. Robson's allegations, made 20 plus years after they supposedly occurred and years after Mr. Robson testified twice under oath - including in front of a jury - that Michael Jackson had never done anything wrong to him was always about the money rather than a search for the truth.'

Finaldi replied that the Jackson camp's interest in the truth was 'hollow'. 

'If someone's trying to search for the truth, why not let the lawsuit proceed?' Finaldi said. 'Why not exonerate him and let a jury decide.'

During the criminal trial, Robson bristled at testimony by other witnesses that they had seen Jackson molest him.

'I'm telling you nothing happened,' Robson testified at the time when a prosecutor challenged him.

Another Robson attorney said when his lawsuit was filed that stress and sexual trauma led Robson to finally accept that he had been molested by Jackson.

Advertisement

Michael Jackson sex abuse lawsuit dismissed

Most watched News videos

Comments 121

Share what you think

  View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

  View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.