Jackson family hits back with counter-documentary

The Jackson family have responded to HBO’s explosive Leaving Neverland documentary, by producing a documentary of their own.

Having firmly denounced the allegations of child sexual abuse levelled at Michael Jackson in Leaving Neverland, the Jackson family have now taken it a further step by releasing Neverland Firsthand: Investigating the Michael Jackson Documentary on YouTube.

The 30-minute film refutes the testimony of accusers Wade Robson and James Safechuck, and features interviews with the singer’s nephew Taj Jackson and niece Brandi Jackson, as well as Michael Jackson’s longtime technical director Brad Sundberg.

Brad claims in the film that in his many trips to Neverland, he never saw anything that would support the claims.

“Not in a million years did I ever see a child around Michael Jackson that looked like they had been distressed, hurt, abused,” he claimed. “(Neverland) was such a peaceful, safe, fun place.”

Brandi has spoken out earlier against Wade – whom she claims to have dated for seven years – labelling him an ‘opportunist’, a stance she doubles down on in the documentary.

“He has always been a bit of an opportunist,” she reiterates in the film. “He knows how to position himself into different situations that will benefit him in a financial way.”

“He’s saying that my uncle kept him from women, which is not true,” she said, pointing to their own relationship.

“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 dismissed Brandi’s claims, saying she wasn’t present when the sexual abuse occurred and therefore “has nothing relevant to say about the topic.”

Michael Jackson was accused of child abuse twice in his life, with an early 90s case dropped, and a 2005 trial ending in acquittal.

Wade Robson testified on the singer’s behalf during the unrelated case, but has since come forward claiming he himself was a victim of the singer.

The documentary made international headlines with celebrities from Oprah Winfrey, to former child star Macauley Culkin weighing in on the debate.

With addition reporting by BANG Showbiz

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