Michael Jackson’s family has released their own documentary in response to “Leaving Neverland.”
The family of the late King of Pop — who died in 2009 — released “Neverland Firsthand: Investigating the Michael Jackson Documentary” on YouTube, and the 30-minute film aims to refute allegations of child sexual abuse against the hitmaker in the HBO documentary by Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who both befriended Jackson as children.
Prior to his death, Jackson repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and was acquitted in 2005 in a different child sex abuse case, where Wade testified on his behalf.
“Neverland Firsthand” features interviews with Michael’s nephew Taj Jackson and niece Brandi Jackson, as well as with his longtime technical director Brad Sundberg, who regularly stayed at Michael’s Neverland Ranch estate and says he never saw any children at the ranch who looked “abused.”
Brad said: “Not in a million years did I ever see a child around Michael Jackson that looked like they had been distressed, hurt, abused. [Neverland] was such a peaceful, safe, fun place.”
While Brandi slammed Wade — whom she dated for seven years – as an “opportunist.”
She said in the film: “He has always been a bit of an opportunist. He knows how to position himself [in] different situations that will benefit him in a financial way.
“He’s saying that he was in a relationship with my uncle, that they were in love, and that they were having a relationship, if you will. He’s saying that my uncle kept him from women, which is not true. We were just talking about how my uncle put us together. It would discredit the things that he’s trying to claim, and I find it fascinating that he thinks he’s able to just erase 10 years of his life.”
However, an attorney for Wade has discredited Brandi’s claims.
In a statement, the attorney said: “Ms. Jackson was not with Wade and Michael Jackson when the sexual abuse occurred, and as such, she has nothing relevant to say about the topic.”
