New Netflix Docuseries On Michael Jackson's Trial Draws Backlash

The Michael Jackson biopic continues to be the most popular movie in the world, grossing north of $700 million in its first month of release. It’s prompted the return of Jackson’s music to the top of the charts and renewed interest in his life and legacy.

This week, Netflix dropped the trailer for The Verdict, a new account of Jackson’s trial on sexual abuse. The 2005 trial was based on allegations by a child named Gavin Arvizo, who met Jackson while he was in the hospital for cancer treatments. When he recovered, he and his family lived with Jackson on and off until the allegations surfaced.

Jackson was acquitted in the trial, but the resultant publicity permanently damaged his reputation. Four years later, while preparing for a residency at London’s O2 arena, he died after an accidental overdose of propofol, which he was having administered to help with insomnia.

His fans say the juxtaposition of the successful biopic starring Michael’s nephew Jaafar is purposeful, continuing to tarnish the legacy of one of the most successful recording artists of all time. In the years since his death, Jackson has been the top-earning dead celebrity, making billions, per Forbes.

After a six-week trial, Jackson was acquitted on all counts on June 13, 2005. Chris Tucker, Macauley Culkin, Jay Leno, and Brett Barnes, who knew and spent time with Jackson as a child, testified in his defense. Wade Robson also defended Jackson, but is now part of a lawsuit with James Safechuck, another child who traveled with Jackson, accusing him of sexual assault.

After the trial, Jackson left the United States for the Kingdom of Bahrain, leaving his beloved Neverland Ranch. He never returned to live there again.

Jackson paid settlements to at least three accusers, including Jordan Chandler, whose biological father precipitated the initial sexual abuse allegations against Jackson in 1993. Chandler and his mother, sister and stepfather befriended Jackson after meeting him when his car broke down.

Chandler was reportedly paid $20 million in a sealed settlement. Reshoots delayed the Michael biopic after filmmakers belatedly found out that part of the settlement was that Chandler could never be mentioned in any film or project. He has largely lived a private life since the settlement and has never publicly commented on Jackson.

The Cascio siblings are now also suing the Jackson estate. Jackson befriended the family in the ’80s after meeting Dominic Cascio, who was then the general manager of the Helmsley Palace hotel in New York City. The Cascio siblings received a previous settlement from the estate in 2020. Those payments ended in 2025.

The 3-part series drops on June 3, but see social media’s reaction to the trailer below.