CLAIMS BEING MADE ABOUT THE LATE POP STAR. IN THE "LEAVING
NEVERLAND" DOCUMENTARY.
NEVERLAND" DOCUMENTARY. NATALIE MORALES HAS MORE.
>> THE FILM AIRS THIS WEEKEND ON
HBO.
HBO. IT HAS BEEN A FLASHPOINT OF
CONTROVERSY SINCE ITS PREMIERE
AT SUNDANCE.
AT SUNDANCE. JACKSON
JACKSON JACKSON’S FAMILY CALLED THE FILM
A ONE-SIDED HIT JOB.
NOW, THEY’RE SPEAKING OUT ON
MICHAEL’S BEHALF.
MICHAEL’S BEHALF. >> TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY.
>> Reporter: "LEAVING NEVERLAND"
FOCUSES ON TWO BOYS WHO MET
MICHAEL JACKSON, AND TELL
SIMILAR STORIES OF HOW THEY SAY
THEY WERE ABUSED FOR YEARS BY
THE POP ICON.
>> TOLD ME IF THEY EVER FOUND
OUT WHAT WE WERE DOING, HE AND I
WOULD GO TO JAIL.
>> I KNOW MY BROTHER.
I KNOW HE’S NOT LIKE THAT.
THAT’S NOT MICHAEL JACKSON.
I KNOW HIM.
HE WOULD NEVER, EVER DO THAT TO
ANY KID OR ANYONE.
>> Reporter: THE JACKSON FAMILY
SAID ROBSON IS LYING.
DURING THE TRIAL, ROBSON WAS THE
FIRST WHO TESTIFIED IN HIS
DEFENSE.
DEFENSE. JACKSON WAS ACQUITTED OF ALL
CHARGES.
CHARGES. >> HE SAID MICHAEL JACKSON NEVER
DID ANYTHING INAPPROPRIATE.
>> Reporter: PRIVATE
INVESTIGATOR SCOTT ROSS SAID HE
INTERVIEWED HIM EXPENSETENSIVELY
BEFORE BEING CALLED AS A
WITNESS.
WITNESS. >> THERE WAS A REASON HE WAS PUT
UP FIRST.
UP FIRST. WE BELIEVED HE WAS THE MOST
CREDIBLE.
CREDIBLE. >> Reporter: IF ROBSON HAD BEEN
LYING, THE STORY WOULD HAVE
FALLEN APART DURING
CROSS-EXAMINATION.
CROSS-EXAMINATION. JACKSON WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY.
OVER THE YEARS, ROBSON
CONSISTENTLY DEFENDED AND
PRAISED JACKSON IN MULTIPLE
INTERVIEWS AND PUBLIC
APPEARANCES.
APPEARANCES. >> OVER 20 YEARS, TALKING ABOUT
HOW MICHAEL HELPED HIS LIFE, HOW
HE WAS A GREAT PERSON TO HIM,
AND HE WAS HIS MENTOR.
JUST GREAT THINGS.
>> Reporter: BUT THAT CHANGED IN
2013 WHEN ROBSON TOLD "TODAY"
THAT WHAT HE SAID UNDER OATH IN
2005 WAS ACTUALLY A LIE.
THE TRUTH, HE SAID, WAS MUCH
DARKER.
DARKER. >> HE SEXUALLY ABUSED ME FROM 7
YEARS OLD UNTIL 14.
>> Reporter: IN "LEAVING NEVER
NEVERLAND," JAMES SAFECHUCK SAID
THE "TODAY" SHOW INTERVIEW
CAUSED HIM TO UNDERSTAND THAT
JACKSON ABUSED HIM, AS WELL.
>> HE’S NOT HERE TO DEFEND
HIMSELF.
HIMSELF. I’M NOT GOING TO LET THIS
HAPPEN.
HAPPEN. IT’S A LIE, IT’S ALL A LIE.
IT’S ABOUT MONEY.
IT’S ABOUT GREED AND MONEY.
>> Reporter: ROBSON AND
SAFECHUCK SAY THEY WEREN’T PAID
TO APPEAR IN THE DOCUMENTARY.
>> I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK
THE TRUTH.
THE TRUTH. >> Reporter: DIRECTOR DAN REID
SAYS THE FILM IS ABOUT THEIR
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND DEFENDS
NOT SPEAKING TO THOSE WHO MIGHT
CHALLENGE THEIR ACCOUNTS.
WRITING, QUOTE, WE FEEL NO NEED
TO INCLUDE THE OPINIONS OF
PEOPLE WITH NO DIRECT KNOWLEDGE
OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE
INDIVIDUALS.
INDIVIDUALS. JACKSON’S ESTATE IS SUING HBO
FOR $100 MILLION, CLAIMING THE
FILM VIOLATES A PREVIOUS
AGREEMENT TO NOT DEFAME MICHAEL
JACKSON.
JACKSON. ADDING, MICHAEL IS AN EASY
TARGET BECAUSE HE IS NOT HERE TO
DEFEND HIMSELF.
DEFEND HIMSELF. THE LAW DOES NOT PROTECT THE
DECEASED FROM DEFAMATION, NO
MATTER HOW EXTREME THE LIES ARE.
HBO RESPONDED DESPITE THE
DESPERATE LENGTHS TO UNDERMINE
THE FILM, OUR PLANS REMAIN
UNCHANGED.
UNCHANGED. JACKSON’S FAMILY SAID SAFECHUCK
AND ROBSON ARE HOPING THE
PUBLICITY AROUND "LEAVING
NEVERLAND" WILL BENEFIT THEIR
CIVIL LAWSUITS AGAINST JACKSON’S
MEDIA COMPANIES.
MEDIA COMPANIES. >> THE LAWSUITS FILED AGAINST
JACKSON
JACKSON JACKSON’S ESTATE MEDIA COMPANIES
WERE DISMISSED BEFORE THE
DOCUMENTARY WAS MADE BECAUSE THE
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS EXPIRED.
BOTH MEN ARE APPEALING THE
RULINGS.
RULINGS. >> UNDERSTAND YOU’VE SEEN SOME
OF THIS DOCUMENTARY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO
HAPPEN WHEN IT AIRS SUNDAY?
>> LET ME TELL YOU GUYS, IT IS
VERY, VERY HARD TO WATCH.
IT IS METHODICAL.
IT IS DETAILED.
IT IS A VERY GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF
THE YEARS LONG RELATIONSHIPS
THAT ROBSON AND SAFECHUCK CLAIM
THEY HAD WITH MICHAEL JACKSON.
THIS IS THEIR STORY.
IT IS DAMNING.
IT MAKES A DEVASTATING CASE
AGAINST MICHAEL JACKSON.
IT LEFT AUDIENCES AT SUNDANCE
STUNNED.
STUNNED. YOU WILL BE, AS WELL.
YOU’RE GOING TO STRUGGLE WITH
HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT JACKSON AND
HIS LEGACY.
HIS LEGACY. IT’S NOT A SALACIOUS
DOCUMENTARY.
DOCUMENTARY. THESE ARE TWO MEN STRUGGLING TO
THIS DAY, AND IT IS VERY
PAINFUL, PAINFUL FOR THEM TO TRY
TO TELL THEIR STORY.
THE VIEWER IS GOING TO HAVE TO
DECIDE IF THEY CHOOSE TO BELIEVE
THEM OR NOT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
NATALIE MORALES FOR US IN LOS
ANGELES.
ANGELES. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. >> WE’LL HAVE A LOT MORE,
NATALIE, ON THE FILM AND THE
CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING IT WHEN