An unearthed video from 1993 hears LaToya Jackson accuse her brother Michael of ‘crimes against small, innocent children’.
In the wake of Leaving Neverland – in which Wade Robson and James Safechuck allege they were sexually abused by Michael Jackson as children – airing on HBO in the States and Channel 4 in the UK, a press conference which was broadcast on MTV in 1993 has come to light.
In the video, La Toya – who was at that time estranged from her family – alleged that Michael was a predator, following allegations of molestation made by the father of 13-year-old Jordan Chandler earlier that year.
Jackson denied the allegations, and the case was eventually settled out of court for over $20 million.
In her press conference, LaToya said: ‘I love him a great deal, but I cannot and will not be a silent collaborator of his crimes against small, innocent children.
‘If I remain silent, then that means that I feel the guilt and the humiliation that these children are feeling, and I think it’s very wrong.’
LaToya, herself a survivor of sexual assault, alleged that her mother Katherine had shown her ‘very, very large amounts’ that had been made out to the parents of ‘these children’, saying: ‘These kids are going to be scarred by this for the rest of their lives. I don’t want to see any more innocent small children being affected this way. I love Michael very dearly but I feel sorry for these children because they don’t have a life anymore. They don’t.’
She also said: ‘You stop and think for one second and you tell me, what 35-year-old man is going to take a little boy and stay with him for 30 days? And take another boy and stay with him for five days in a room and never leave the room?
‘How many of you out there are 35 years old? How many men are out there? How many would take little kids and do that? That are 9, 10, 11 years old? I love my brother but it’s wrong. I don’t want to see these kids hurt.”
Years later, LaToya recanted her statements, alleging that she was convinced to make them by her then-husband Jack Gordon.
In Leaving Neverland, Robson, now 36, alleges that he was sexually abused by the Billie Jean hitmaker from when he was seven until he was 14. Safechuck, now 41, alleges he was abused from when he was 10 to 14, with both men putting forward their allegations in graphic detail in the documentary.
Michael passed away in 2009 at the age of 50. The estate of Jackson has strenuously denied allegations of child sexual abuse, calling them ‘character assassination’.
His daughter Paris Jackson has insisted her dad’s legacy will not be ruined by the allegations, while his nephew Taj Jackson claimed that Robson was ‘100% lying’ in the film, adding that Jackson was a ‘child at heart’.
Michael Jackson estate's statement on Leaving Neverland
'Leaving Neverland isn’t a documentary, it is the kind of tabloid character assassination Michael Jackson endured in life, and now in death. The film takes uncorroborated allegations that supposedly happened 20 years ago and treats them as fact. These claims were the basis of lawsuits filed by these two admitted liars which were ultimately dismissed by a judge. The two accusers testified under oath that these events never occurred. They have provided no independent evidence and absolutely no proof in support of their accusations, which means the entire film hinges solely on the word of two perjurers.
'Tellingly, the director admitted at the Sundance Film Festival that he limited his interviews only to these accusers and their families. In doing so, he intentionally avoided interviewing numerous people over the years who spent significant time with Michael Jackson and have unambiguously stated that he treated children with respect and did nothing hurtful to them. By choosing not to include any of these independent voices who might challenge the narrative that he was determined to sell, the director neglected fact checking so he could craft a narrative so blatantly one-sided that viewers never get anything close to a balanced portrait.
'For 20 years, Wade Robson denied in court and in numerous interviews, including after Michael passed, that he was a victim and stated he was grateful for everything Michael had done for him. His family benefitted from Michael’s kindness, generosity and career support up until Michael’s death. Conveniently left out of Leaving Neverland was the fact that when Robson was denied a role in a Michael Jackson themed Cirque du Soleil production, his assault allegations suddenly emerged.
'We are extremely sympathetic to any legitimate victim of child abuse. This film, however, does those victims a disservice. Because despite all the disingenuous denials made that this is not about money, it has always been about money – millions of dollars — dating back to 2013 when both Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who share the same law firm, launched their unsuccessful claims against Michael’s Estate. Now that Michael is no longer here to defend himself, Robson, Safechuck and their lawyers continue their efforts to achieve notoriety and a payday by smearing him with the same allegations a jury found him innocent of when he was alive.'
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