The Stand by Me actor said he couldn't defend 'anyone accused of such horrendous crimes'
FORMER child star Corey Feldman says he can no longer defend Michael Jackson after details of the singer's alleged sexual abuse of two boys was revealed in Leaving Neverland.
The actor, who previously refuted the allegations against his "best pal", said he couldn't stand by "anyone accused of such horrendous crimes".
Feldman, 47, told Headline News: "I don’t want to be perceived as I’m here to defend Michael, because I can no longer do that. I can not in good consciousness defend anyone who’s being accused of such horrendous crimes.
"But at the same time, I’m also not here to judge him, because again, he did not do those things to me and that was not my experience.”
I’m also not here to judge him, because again, he did not do those things to me and that was not my experience
Corey Feldman
The Gremlins and Stand by Me star, who says he was sexually abused by paedophile predators in Hollywood, had previously deemed the Jackson documentary "one-sided".
But on Wednesday Feldman said watching part one of Leaving Neverland had prompted him to reflect on his experiences with Jackson.
I don’t want to be perceived as I’m here to defend Michael, because I can no longer do that. I can not in good consciousness defend anyone who’s being accused of such horrendous crimes
Corey Feldman
The highly controversial HBO film aired on Channel 4 and featured the stories of Wade Robson, 36 and James Safechuck, 40 who both claimed they were sexually abused by Jacko when they were kids.
Feldman, who was befriended by Jackson after appearing as a child star in hit 80s movies including The Goonies, said: "As I’m watching it [Leaving Neverland], I’m going this doesn’t make sense to me, this isn’t the guy that I knew.
"But look, I’m a guy that at 14 years old was molested, did have a paedophile completely lie to me about who he was.
“I trusted him. I believed in him as a friend, and I thought he was a good person and then he molested me. It all proves that I’m not the best judge and that’s why I shouldn’t be the judge in this situation.”
After his TV appearance Feldman said it had been one of the hardest interviews he had done and his thoughts were with “all victims” and Jackson’s three children.
Earlier this week Feldman had defended Jackson and Leaving Neverland.
He wrote on Twitter: “[He] never once swore in my presence, never touched me inappropriately, & never ever suggested we should be lovers in any way!
"I feel like if ppl could hear our convos they would hear the innocence in them. No hint of perversion.
"I wasn’t there when those boys were. But I was there around the same time as Jimmy and I saw many kids around (girls included) who I am still friends with to this day and none of us were ever approached by him in a sexual way at all.
"So as much as those two men deserve to have their voices heard, so do the thousands of kids who hung around him, that don’t agree!"
In January, Feldman said a 35-year-old Michael Jackson showed him “inappropriate” photos of naked men and women when he was aged 13.
So as much as those two men deserve to have their voices heard, so do the thousands of kids who hung around him, that don’t agree!
Corey Feldman
He told ABC's Martin Bashir: "If you consider it inappropriate for a man to look at a book of naked pictures with a child that's 13 or 14 years old - then your answer would be yes.
"We went to his apartment, and I noticed a book that he had out on his coffee table.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.
“The book contained pictures of grown men and women naked. And the book was focused on venereal diseases and the genitalia.
“I was kind of grossed out by it. I didn't think of it as a big deal."
Last year he accused Hollywood of ignoring its paedophile problem - claiming he was repeatedly abused by industry insiders as a child star.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.
