Michael Jackson ‘trained’ James Safechuck and ‘forced him to lie to protect superstar’ during sex abuse probe
ONE of Michael Jackson’s alleged child abuse victims has told how the King of Pop coached him on how to speak to investigators.
In the disturbing documentary Leaving Neverland, James Safechuck claims he was prepped under pressure into lying on behalf of the performer.
Safechuck, 40, along with Wade Robson, 36, claim the superstar entertainer horribly abused them while they were small boys and in the doc they have revealed harrowing details of their alleged ordeal.
Referring to a sex abuse investigation against Jackson in 1993, Safechuck said the singer’s lawyers would train him into saying the right things should he be asked questions.
Safechuck said: "They did, like, a mock interview, kind of role playing the policeman or lawyer.
“We’d rehearsed so much it was like going through the motions… like part of my job, to do that for Michael.”
In the end Jackson settled with the family of the 13-year-old accuser out of court.
In 1994 a sum of £17,450, 000 ($23m) was paid to the Chandlers and no criminal investigation was pursued after this.
'HE MADE YOU DEPEND ON HIM'
Jackson had allegedly locked the Safechuck family in financially, having lent them money to buy a house — a debt dropped after James agreed to testify on his behalf.
In the years after Jacko paid for him to attend film-making classes.
Safeshuck said: “He is very much making you depend on him.”
Jackson had even staged a mock wedding with him when he was just 10-years-old — complete with vows and a diamond ring.
Following this Safechuck would receive jewellery as a reward for carrying out sexual acts.
He is very much making you depend on him
Jackson's accuser James Safecuck
'JACKO ANGRY I DIDN'T TESTIFY AGAIN'
In 2005, while facing fresh child abuse allegations, Jackson tried to convince him to testify for him again.
This time Safechuck refused and told his mum he wanted nothing more to do with the singer, whom he called “evil”.
But he claims Jackson got angry with him before threatening him with his lawyers, claiming “they were gonna get me”.
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Leaving Neverland airs on Channel 4 on Thursday March 7 at 9pm.
Jackson, who died in 2009 of a drug overdose, strongly denied all allegations of sexual abuse made against him.
His estate has vehemently denounced the documentary.
It attacks the credibility of Robson and Safechuck, as well as the filmmaker for not including other voices who knew Jackson.
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