Myth: James Safechuck Lied About Being Gifted the Thriller Jacket

James Thriller Jacket

April 20, 2020

In Leaving Neverland, James Safechuck states the following:

We went into the closet [at Hayvenhurst] and we were looking at his stuff, and he told me I could pick out a jacket. I could have that; it would be mine. I picked the Thriller jacket, of course. Go big! And I took it home. I wore it to the grocery store.

However, according to Julian's Auctions there were 2 Jackets, one which sold at auction for $1.8 million, to the Verret family from Austin, Texas, in June 2011, and the other is displayed in a museum

For example, a Twitter account called "Leaving Neverland Facts," which is most likely owned and controlled by the Jackson estate, put out a tweet, implying that James is either lying, or must've sold it secretly, at some point.

Hmm.. one of 2??? In #Leaving Neverland James Safechuck says at a visit to Michael's Hayvenhurst home he was told to pick from a closet anything he wanted "I picked the Thriller jacket, of course--go big--and I took it home." So did he sell it? Is the story even true?

View the original tweet here.

The truth is, as a child, James was indeed in possession of one of the Thriller jackets, before returning it at Jackson's request.

In his civil complaint, James provides clarification:

"DECEDENT let Plaintiff touch and play with his many jackets. DECEDENT let Plaintiff try on the 'Captain EO' jacket, and gave him the Thriller jacket to keep. DECEDENT took back the Thriller jacket a few years later, saying that the jacket would still belong to the Plaintiff, but that he needed to display it at a museum. The DECEDENT told Plaintiff that there would be a plaque saying 'on loan from Jimmy Safechuck.' In the meantime, the DECEDENT let Plaintiff choose between two of the other jackets used in the Thriller video—the 'Zombie' jacket and the 'clean' one."

Some may question why James didn’t elaborate on the jacket's return in Leaving Neverland. The reality is that documentary films often condense lengthy interviews into a focused narrative to maintain audience engagement. Including every detail would have significantly extended the film's length, making it challenging for viewers to retain interest. Thus, certain information may have been left out to ensure a fluid storytelling experience

Moreover, it seems somewhat minor to challenge the validity of James's claim regarding the jacket. Michael Jackson was known for his generosity, frequently gifting clothing to the children he befriended, such as the fedora he gave to Wade Robson from his Smooth Criminal video. 

In conclusion, James Safechuck did not lie about being gifted the Thriller jacket in his childhood. However, this jacket was later returned, as clearly outlined in James civil complaint. As usual, both the Jackson estate and fans have failed to conduct adequate research and instead chosen to demonise James.

With permission, the following article was translated and enhanced from The Truth about Michael Jackson.