It’s not often something like Leaving Neverland comes along and blows our expectations out of the water. Sure, we had all heard rumors and had suspicions about Michael Jackson for a long, long time.
The first accusations of child abuse against him happened in 1993!
Despite lengthy investigations and a trial, Jackson never went to prison over the accusations against him.
But none of that has been as damning to his legacy as the allegations made by Wade Robson and James Safechuck in Leaving Neverland .
After Michael’s accusers made their case in the four-hour HBO documentary, people generally have their minds made up about Jackson’s innocence or guilt.
However, some of the folks in Jackson’s sphere have felt compelled to offer their perspectives as well.
One of the people closest to the late singer and might be able to shed some light on the situation has finally come forward.
For 12 years, Grace Rwaramba served as nanny to Jackson’s children, Prince Michael I, Paris, and Prince Michael II.
In a statement to ABC News, Rwaramba came to Jackson’s defense, saying that she had never witnessed, suspected, or heard of any abusive behavior towards children.
She also said that she didn’t think he was capable of such behavior.
“If Michael harmed Wade Robson and James Safechuck, they have my deepest sympathy and compassion,” Rwaramba said.
“I don’t claim to know what happened between Michael and his accusers. I wasn’t there,” she continued. “However, because Michael is no longer here to defend himself, and because I have a unique view of him and the life he lived, I feel compelled to speak out against what I firmly believe to be false claims. “
“The person that Wade and James describe is not the person that I knew.”
“He was trusting to the point of extreme naivete; always assuming the best intentions in everyone. While he was far from perfect, in my over twelve years of living with Michael, knowing him and his lifestyle intimately, I never saw or experienced anything that led me to suspect that he was capable of child sexual abuse.”
Rwaramba also contended that it was unlikely Jackson could have gotten away with harming children because “Maintaining the ranch in such immaculate shape took an entire army of workers that were always around.”
And she singled out the Robson family as being determined to use Jackson’s celebrity for their own ends.
“The one thing that was consistent about the Robsons over the years was Joy’s steely resolve to turn Wade into a star,” she said. “The Robsons’ ambition and self-interest knew no bounds.”
Attorneys for Robson and Safechuck issued a statement responding to Rwaramba’s statement.
“Ms. Rwaramba admits in her statement that she does not know what happened between Michael and his accusers,” said attorney Vince Finaldi. “As a longtime employee of MJJ productions she has a vested interest in defending Jackson and his estate.”
“It is sad that she had chosen to disparage a victim of child sexual assault and his family in order to do so,” Finaldi continued.
“This is a continuation of the campaign of false information, character assassination, victim blaming and shaming that the Jackson corporate lawyers heap on any child or adult who speaks the truth about Mr. Jackson’s sexual behavior with children. These attacks have kept many of Mr. Jackson’s victims silent. It will not stop Wade or James from speaking the truth.”
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Jackson’s family has vehemently denied the allegations in ‘Leaving Neverland.’
The family has launched a $100 million lawsuit against HBO over the documentary, alleging breach of contract based on a non-disparagement clause for a 1992 broadcast of Jackson’s concert in Bucharest on his Dangerous tour.
h/t ABC News
