Michael Jackson Update: Wade Robson Wants Names Of Other Alleged Victims Released

Former child dancer Wade Robson, who catapulted to stardom in the 1990s with Michael Jackson’s assistance, is requesting the Jackson Estate to release the names of children listed in a confidentiality agreement, as part of his lawsuit against Jackson’s corporation. The gag agreement reportedly contains the names of children who were allegedly paid off by the King of Pop to keep quiet about sexual molestation accusations.

The OC Weekly reports that Robson, 33, hired attorney John C. Manly to represent him in the new lawsuit, which seeks to go after Jackson’s businesses, MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures. According to a press release posted on Thursday, Manly sent a letter to Howard Weitzman, attorney for Jackson’s estate, that read that under the California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1002, it’s illegal to keep child sexual abuse cases confidential. In turn, Manly is requesting that the Jackson Estate:

• Disclose any and all names of children involved in a “gag” agreement that pertained to childhood molestation, and
• Publicly state the number of victims who accused Jackson of molesting them

During the 1990s and the 2000s, Jackson and his attorneys fought a number of accusations, which reportedly, the public never learned about due to a confidentiality agreement. Yet, if any cases were settled confidentially, it doesn’t mean that Jackson necessarily molested the parties involved, nor does it mean that any part of the gag agreement must be disclosed to the public.

California law mandates that only cases in which it’s proven child sexual abuse indeed occurred must be made public. Since Jackson has never been convicted of child molestation or sexual assault, there’s no law that states any information must be made public.

Robson’s attorney of course, is aware of this, as indicated in a letter sent to Weitzman. Manly tried to reason that allowing the names to be kept quiet would only allow child molestation to flourish and continue. So far, Weitzman hasn’t replied to the letter.

Manly also indicated that Robson’s trial will likely take place in Australia, where the former child star is from. While speaking to AAP, Manly stated that not only would Robson’s trial probably end up in Australia, but that many people are unaware that Australians can seek U.S. legal representation, even if the accusations didn’t happen there.

“We will, in all likelihood, be going to Australia. This case is a worldwide case and we will be doing some travelling. Most people don’t know that even though they were abused in Australia, Britain or Morocco or wherever, they have a right to seek counsel in the U.S. against a corporation. Mr Jackson is dead and you can’t sue him or his estate, but his corporation is alive and well.”

"If We Try
We Shall See
In This Bliss
We Cannot Feel
Fear Or Dread
We Stop Existing &
Start Living" Michael Jackson pic.twitter.com/s7IWcN2yYt

— Michael Jackson – Fan Account (@mjstaronline) July 15, 2016

Although the majority of Michael Jackson fans contend that Robson is simply looking for a quick paycheck from Jackson’s corporation by falsifying information and making up stories, Manly seems to genuinely believe his client. He’s taken on similar cases in the past that yielded more than $1 billion for survivors of Catholic church molestation incidents.

“Michael Jackson was an incredible musician, an incredible dancer, he changed music and the music business, and he is also a pedophile. What happened to Wade is what I’ll call survivor 101.”

Part of proving that Robson is telling the truth, according to Manly, is proving that Jackson’s corporation knew that the singer was abusing children during the time that he allegedly abused Robson.

“The standard of proof is we have to prove the corporation knew or had reason to know that Mr. Jackson was a pedophile before or during the time he was abusing Wade. I want to go to the people responsible, the corporate officials and others involved who knew and did nothing — the people who stood by and watched those children be walked into that bedroom. There were many. It wasn’t just Wade. I also want victims to know it is safe to talk. You will be protected.”

Manly plans to interview others in Australia who’ve claimed they were also abused by Michael Jackson.

Robson’s lawsuit comes a little over a year after a California judge denied his case against Jackson’s estate, citing the statute of limitations ran out. For years, Robson denied that he was ever molested by Michael Jackson, even becoming the key witness for the defense in Jackson’s 2005 molestation trial. Yet, after having a child of his own, Robson said he realized that he’d been wrong in not coming forward.

[Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images News]