Michael Jackson’s family members say they are “furious” that two men who accuse him of sexually abusing them as boys have received renewed attention because of a new documentary.
In a statement Monday, the family denounced “Leaving Neverland,” a documentary that premiered last week at the Sundance Film Festival and is set to be on HBO and the U.K.’s Channel 4 in the spring.
The family says the film and coverage surrounding it are a “public lynching” of a man who can no longer defend himself. Jackson died in 2009.
The men told authorities previously that Jackson hadn’t molested them then later filed lawsuits saying they had come to accept that they had been sexually abused.
The film’s director Dan Reed has said he has no doubts about the men’s truthfulness.
Here is the Jackson Family statement in full:
Michael Jackson is our brother and son. We are furious that the media, who without a shred of proof or single piece of physical evidence, chose to believe the word of two admitted liars over the word of hundreds of families and friends around the world who spent time with Michael, many at Neverland, and experienced his legendary kindness and global generosity. We are proud of what Michael Jackson stands for. People have always loved to go after Michael. He was an easy target because he was unique. But Michael was subjected to a thorough investigation which included a surprise raid of Neverland and other properties as well as a jury trial where Michael was found to be COMPLETELY INNOCENT. There has never been one piece of proof of anything. Yet the media is eager to believe these lies. Michael always turned the other cheek, and we have always turned the other cheek when people have gone after members of our family – that is the Jackson way. But we can’t just stand by while this public lynching goes on, and the vulture tweeters and others who never met Michael go after him. Michael is not here to defend himself, otherwise these allegations would not have been made. The creators of this film were not interested in the truth. They never interviewed a single solitary soul who knew Michael except the two perjurers and their families. That is not journalism, and it’s not fair, yet the media are perpetuating these stories. But the truth is on our side. Go do your research about these opportunists. The facts don’t lie, people do. Michael Jackson was and always will be 100% innocent of these false allegations. The Jackson Family
