Michael Jackson's child sex abuse allegations are back in the news as two of his accusers have now been given a trial date of 2028.
According to Rolling Stone, actor James Safechuck, 48, and choreographer Wade Robson, 43, who appeared in 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, agreed to the new trial date after years of setbacks.
Both men claim that Jackson, who died from acute propofol intoxication in June 2009, abused them between ages seven and 10 at his Neverland Ranch after befriending them. Safechuck and Robson have also placed blame upon MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures, accusing the companies of enabling and hiding Jackson’s alleged actions.
After their previously dismissed complaints resurfaced in an appeal, the men were granted the right to unify their lawsuits in 2024. Safechuck, Robson and their lawyer, John Carpenter, originally sought to have their case heard ahead of the April 24 release of biopic Michael.
In a series of delays and the trial previously being set for October 2027, lawyers for Jackson’s estate and the men decided to waive deadlines for the case to proceed. The new trial date is set for February 14, 2028, but Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael E. Whitaker has requested a status hearing for September 2026.
According to PBS, in 2005, Robson testified under oath at Jackson's criminal trial that he hadn’t been sexually abused by the 13-time Grammy winner, which Safechuck also maintained. The trial concluded with Jackson being found not guilty on 10 counts, with four counts being child molestation.
Multiple people have claimed that they were victims of sex abuse at the hands of Jackson, including members of the Cascio family, who detailed graphic accounts of alleged incidents in a The New York Times story published in April.
