Wade Robson's Lawyer Hits Back After Michael Jackson's Companies File a 'Stunt Motion'

Michael Jackson was charged with sexually abusing children in a civil complaint from 1993. He refuted every accusation of misconduct. There were no criminal charges filed after he settled the matter. On all 14 counts stemming from accusations that he had sexually molested a 13-year-old at his Neverland Ranch, he was found not guilty in 2005.

As per People, Wade Robson and James Safechuck were staunch Jackson supporters during the King of Pop's 1993 trial, all that changed when they turned victims and released a controversial four-hour HBO documentary in 2019, Leaving Neverland.

The two are scheduled to go on trial with the companies of the deceased pop star. According to Robson's lawsuit, Jackson began abusing him when he was 7 years old and the abuse persisted for years. 

As per InTouchWeekly, their lawyer James Carpenter claimed the late music icon possessed “sexually provocative” photos of children. Jackson's team fired back with a motion, "Plaintiff's new counsel, John Carpenter, has been on a press tour, making numerous statements about this case to multiple media outlets. Mr. Carpenter’s statements are not simple reports on the progress of the case or a factual recitation of events in court. Rather, he is making incendiary claims and accusations that have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing the jury pool in this case in favor of his clients and against Defendants,” the motion read. 

The legal team further stated, “Mr. Carpenter’s attempts to try his case in the press, and not in Court, are antithetical to the fair administration of justice, in violation of Rule 8.4. The parties are effectively at the beginning of this case; Mr. Carpenter cannot be allowed to disregard his ethical obligations under the Rules of Professional Conduct by continuing his tactic of running to the press at every opportunity between now and trial to make whatever inflammatory and provocative statements he can to advance Plaintiffs’ case and attempt to poison the jury pool against Defendants.”

Carpenter allegedly went on a rant saying,“Let’s not forget that in America, corporations -legally-considered people. The only reason for them to live is to make money. That’s their sole goal. I’m not surprised this corporation is trying to rewrite the history of what Michael Jackson did to maximize profits. It’s shameful they’re trying to do that but that’s what they are doing.” “[The estate’s] sole existence to live and exist is to make money,” he added, “And so the movie is just one piece in their efforts to rehabilitate and rewrite the history of Michael Jackson and what he did to James, Wade, and other children.” The businesses representing Jackson asked the court to intervene and order Carpenter to stop bashing Jackson in the media.

Carpenter said that the Thriller singer's companies filed a“stunt motion” in which they “do not seek any specific relief, but instead hope to attract attention and prejudice the Court and the public against Plaintiffs. In other words, the defense is engaged in the very misconduct they are trying to assign to Plaintiffs’ counsel.” He added, “Plaintiffs’ counsel must respond as Defendants and their allies have initiated a wide-reaching and expensive publicity campaign to discredit Michael Jackson’s accusers, including Plaintiffs.

These efforts include a nationwide music theater production and a high-profile ‘documentary.’ Indeed, Jackson estate’s website boasts of the ways in which it seeks to shape public opinion against Plaintiffs proclaiming that it is taking actions including a “public arbitration… to expose those involved [in an HBO documentary about Plaintiffs and other abuse victims] for the liars that they are.”