A continued response to Taj Jackson. Part I is here.
“What we want is the journalists is to do... I would say do their homework or do a background check on these guys and you can see that they’ve lied on oath [sic] plenty of times...”
But they testified under oath that Jackson had never molested them. Even after Robson was shown disturbing “erotica” and pornography found in Jackson’s house, he insisted that he was not disturbed by the thought of sharing a bed with the man who owned this material and that nothing happened. Is Taj Jackson affirming that Robson lied under oath when he made these insistent denials? it seems contradictory to claim that these men are lying because they had always defended Michael Jackson and accuse them of perjury when they clearly testified in Jackson’s defence. Why didn’t the journalist challenge Jackson on this comment?
“I was the one who invited Wade to my uncle’s memorial. He was so happy that I had reached out to him in 2009 for him to go to the memorial, and I remember being on the phone with him and him thanking me so much...”
This was in response to a question on how well Taj knew Wade. It’s certainly true that Wade eulogised Michael Jackson after his death in 2009 and attended his memorial. And this does beg the question of why Wade would now accuse the pop star of child sexual molestation. But once again, Taj ignores the key point: that Wade’s accusations are similar to previous accusations and similar to evidence uncovered between 1993-2005.
I would also like to add that shortly after Michael Jackson’s death in 2009, a British man named Terry George alleged that Michael Jackson had been discussing masturbation on the phone to him (and masturbating) when he (George) was 12 years old. This was in 1979. George had previously discussed the story in around 1993 (during the Chandler scandal), but said he regretted doing so, since the media twisted his words. He maintained the event happened since 1993, and repeated in in 2009. I had forgotten his name, but when I came across the information, I remembered seeing this story in 2009. Sadly, I discounted this information, owing to the 2005 case and the emotions of Jackson’s death.
Also, Jackson’s former maid Adrian McManus, who was one of the few staff members to have access to Jackson’s bedroom in the early 90′s, continues to maintain that Jackson molested children. In 2009, she alleged molestation, as reported by News of the World. In 2019, she says that Robson and Safechuck’s allegations don’t surprise her, added more lurid details about Jackson’s “sleepovers” with young boys, alleged that she had been threatened over what she knew, that Jackson had tried to intimidate her over the phone in 1993 by asking what she knew (she told police no molestation had happened), that she still fears for her life, and that she is still haunted by events at Neverland. She sued Jackson unsuccessfully in 1996 (after he fired her), and testified against him in 2005.
All this does not refute the fact that Robson defended Jackson after his death, but does demonstrate that allegations did once again surface at that time. So this undermines the idea that Robson and Safechuck have just come out of the blue. Remember: Jackson had been officially suspected of paedophilia since 1993, and those around him had been either bemused or concerned about his relations with young boys since at least 1984. Emmanuel Lewis may insist that Jackson never molested him (although there is a rather disturbing picture of him, Jackson, and another man from the 80′s), but Brooke Shields is on record saying that she felt Jackson was dating Lewis, rather than her. That was at the 1984 Grammy awards. Staff on the set of Captain EO (around 1986) were puzzled by Jackson’s closeness with a young Jonathan Spence, whom Jackson claimed had lost his father (in fact, he had a stepfather). Jackson would often falsely introduce young boys as his “cousins”. His own documentary on Neverland (featuring Macaulay Culkin) reveals this lie: the boy he introduces as his cousin “Levon” was actually Brett Barnes, completely unrelated. Go and compare photos for yourself.
Taj has yet to prove that during Robson’s many sleepovers with Jackson, no abuse could have occurred.
“I’m also familiar enough with the Robson family, because I would see them every time for Christmas...”
Taj does not address the issue of how Robson came to know Michael Jackson in the first place. It does not explain how Jackson “remembered” him from a dance competition 2 years back, allowed his secretary Norma Staikos to give her number to Robson’s mother, and how Robson and family were eventually invited to Neverland. It does not explain why Robson would share a bed with Jackson at his Westwood apartment when his mother and sister were not present, and in the Sherwood hotel, again without his mother and sister. It does not explain why Chantal, whom he mentions later, only spent 1 night with Jackson in his bed, but Robson spent many nights. His knowing the Robson family doesn’t erase Jackson’s particular, unusual closeness with Wade over everyone else.
“That’s not the Wade that testified under oath that nothing happened.”
But earlier, Taj stated that Wade had lied under oath several times. See the contradiction?
Robson testified that he won a Michael Jackson-themed dance competition. Two years later, Michael Jackson “remembered” him. During that 2 years, his mother had the phone number of Michael Jackson’s secretary, Norma Staikos. (When Jackson was accused of paedophilia in 1993, she flew to Greece before the police could question her). Wade’s mother got back into contact with Jackson, and the family were invited to Neverland. Whilst Wade’s sister did share a bed with Jackson, this only happened once. Wade, on the other hand, spent nights in Jackson’s bed at Neverland, at Jackson’s Westwood apartment, and at the Sherwood Hotel. (I am paraphrasing all of this from Wade’s own testimony in 2005). During this time, his mother and sister were not present. His father was in Australia. He spent many nights with Michael Jackson, in the same bed, without his mother or sister present, or his father.
This testimony, supposedly in Jackson’s defence, makes Jackson look guilty, not innocent.
“...And I was living at Neverland during the trial...”
But was he living at Neverland during the times when Robson and Safechuck allege sexual abuse? Was he living at Jackson’s Westwood apartment, or at the hotel?
“I talked to Prince about it... He’s [Prince] lost faith... in the media to tell the truth.”
Again, I understand why Michael Jackson’s children would be horrified and traumatised by such allegations. Unfortunately, the feelings of Jackson’s children (a question prompted by a journalist who has not challenged Taj’s statements) do not disprove allegations of child sexual molestation.
Bear in mind that Prince Jackson was born in 1997, Paris in 1998, and Prince II in 2002. They were and arguably still are too young to comprehend the life of their father. Allegations of Jackson’s sexual abuse go back to 1979, as mentioned previously. They were not around during the 1993 scandal, nor the 1996 lawsuit brought by former Neverland staffers. Paris Jackson could barely comprehend the untimely death of her father in 2009, as her tearful eulogy in the Memorial showed. How is Prince Jackson therefore to understand what is being reported and what isn’t being reported? He only has his information, I assume, from the Jackson family. They are hardly objective. What’s more, they did not see or have contact with Michael for years and years. Does Prince Jackson really read headlines about his father?
As much as anyone can sympathise towards these children, Michael Jackson could have spared them this pain and humiliation by behaving in a moral and appropriate way towards children.
To be continued.
