Unearthed audio recordings of Michael Jackson discussing his relationships with children are set to be revealed in a new Channel 4 docuseries, 'Michael Jackson: The Trial', premiering on February 4. The series examines the singer's 2005 court case, where he was acquitted of all charges related to the sexual abuse of Gavin Arvizo, a cancer survivor.
In clips obtained by the New York Post, Jackson is heard saying, 'If you told me right now…Michael, you could never see another child…I would kill myself.' He also states, 'Children want to just touch me and hug me. Kids end up falling in love with my personality. Sometimes it gets me into trouble.'
The documentary features Vincent Amen, a former public relations agent for Jackson, who now believes the star was guilty. Amen, who worked with Jackson in the early 2000s, claims he found a 'naturist magazine' among Jackson's belongings that contained advertisements for videos of 'naked kids,' which he says had been marked for order. 'Finding that, I realised, “Something is going on here”,' Amen told The Telegraph. He alleges a 'cover-up' took place to protect Jackson.
The series also explores Jackson's relationship with former friend and PR manager Frank Cascio, who, along with his siblings, is pursuing allegations of sexual abuse against Jackson. The Cascios are attempting to overturn a prior financial agreement with Jackson's estate that prevents legal action. 'From what I know now, sex abuse victims reveal information about their abuse, piece by piece, over the years,' Amen said.
Jackson died in 2009 from an overdose of the anaesthetic propofol, four years after his acquittal. The documentary follows previous exposés like 'Leaving Neverland' and its sequel, which detailed allegations from Wade Robson and James Safechuck.
