Michael Jackson’s former longtime guitarist, Jennifer Batten, broke her silence on the “very dark” child sex abuse allegations against the late King of Pop on the 15th anniversary of his death this week, RadarOnline.com can report.
In a surprising development to come 15 years after Jackson suffered cardiac arrest and passed away on June 25, 2009, Batten – who played guitar for Jackson for more than one decade – discussed her time working with the superstar.
While Batten compared Jackson’s fame and fortune to a “prison,” she also discussed the series of child sex abuse allegations waged against the Beat It singer in the years before his sudden and shocking passing.
According to Batten, the allegations against Jackson in 1993 – and again in 2005 – were “bulls---.”
“I think it was all bulls---,” Batten, 66, told The Sun on Tuesday. “That was on the cover of every magazine for a long, long time.”
“It was all very dark and unfortunate,” she continued. “And ultimately Michael was proven innocent.”
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Jackson was first accused of sexually abusing a child in 1993. He ultimately settled that civil lawsuit outside of court.
Flash forward to 2005, and the Thriller hitmaker was tried in criminal court in connection to similar child sex abuse allegations. He was ultimately acquitted after the FBI failed to find any evidence of criminal conduct.
Although Jackson became more reclusive after the four-month criminal trial in 2005, he later announced a 50-date residency in London in March 2009. He passed away less than three weeks before his eight-month London residency was scheduled to kick off.
Meanwhile, Batten also discussed Jackson’s struggle with fame during her interview with The Sun this week.
According to the guitarist, Jackson’s fame was a “prison” because the Smooth Criminal singer “didn't have the freedom just to leave when he felt like it.”
“I think people on the outside think that somebody that has that much fame must be happy,” Batten explained. “But it was a prison because anytime he wanted to go out to a bookstore or a movie there had to be six security guards that had to arrange it.”
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“He didn't have the freedom just to leave when he felt like it,” she continued. “It was 50-50 fame and pain. He was a creative tornado.”
Batten also recounted the day in June 2009 when she learned of Jackson’s death. She was driving in Los Angeles when she received a sudden phone call from a close friend.
“At first I didn't believe it because I had heard many, many rumors over the years that weren't true,” Batten said. “But obviously, I found out it was true.”
“My first thought was extreme sadness for his children, because that's devastating,” she added, “especially when you're that young.”
As RadarOnline.com reported, Jackson passed away at his Holmby Hills home on June 25, 2009 after suffering from cardiac arrest caused by a fatal combination of drugs given to him by his personal doctor, Conrad Murray.
Jackson was only 50 years old when he passed away and his death sent shockwaves around the world.