Janet Jackson said her brother Michael, who was accused of sexual abuse against children, 'would never do something like that'

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Janet Jackson said her brother Michael, who was accused of sexual abuse against children, 'would never do something like that'
Janet Jackson with her older brother, the late Michael Jackson.Steve Granitz/Getty Images
  • Janet Jackson defended her brother Michael Jackson against child-sex-abuse allegations.
  • In her new documentary, the pop star said she "never" believed the allegations against him.
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In her new documentary, Janet Jackson defended Michael Jackson, her late brother, against child-sexual-abuse allegations that followed him throughout his life and career.

"Janet Jackson," a four-part Lifetime and A&E docuseries, invites fans into the singer's life with never-before-seen footage of the making of her most iconic songs, such as "Rhythm Nation" and "Scream," along with the making of her tours. It also details very personal moments in her life.

She opened up about how the child-sexual-abuse allegations that surfaced against her brother in 1993 affected her life and career. She said in the docuseries that she lost out on an endorsement deal with The Coca-Cola Company after the allegations emerged.

"My brother would never do something like that, but I'm still guilty by association," she said after an interviewer asked how the allegations affected her life.

In 1993, the Los Angeles Times reported that Michael Jackson was being investigated on suspicion of molesting four boys, which he consistently denied before his death in 2009. He settled a lawsuit brought by the family of one accuser, a 13-year-boy, while denying any "wrongful acts," NPR reported.

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Allegations of sexual abuse continued throughout his career, and he was charged in 2003 with several counts of child molestation, CNN reported at the time. After pleading not guilty, he was acquitted of all charges in 2005.

In her documentary, which aired over the weekend, Janet Jackson said she "never" believed the allegations against her brother.

"I know my brother. He didn't have that in him," she said, adding that the family "stayed at his ranch" to let him know they supported him.

She said in the doc that the genesis of their hit 1995 collaboration "Scream" was that she wanted to support her brother during that time.

"I just knew I wanted to be there for him, to support him as much as I possibly could," she added in the documentary. "I think he needed the support that I was trying to give him with this song."

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