Michael Jackson answers questions about child abuse allegations in newly unearthed video

The video has been released to coincide with an upcoming documentary about the singer

An newly unearthed video shows Michael Jackson answering questions about the various allegations levied at him.

The footage shows the so-called King of Pop, who was 37-years-old at the time, being quizzed by lawyers about claims of child sex abuse.

Jackson barely says a word through the 10 minutes of footage made available by the Mail Online, but looks bemused by many of the questions. His lawyer also cuts in on multiple occasions, saying the singer will no answer several of the questions.

“Were you aware Jordan Chandler filed a litigation against you?” asks the lawyer, to the simple answer “yes” from Jackson.

Asked about ever being accused by Brett Barnes, another lawyer intrudes and says he will not answer the question.

To your knowledge, were you ever accused of abusing Brett Barnes?

Quizzed about knowing Macaulay Culkin, Jackson said “yes” to knowing him, but a lawyer interrupts when asked: “To your knowledge, were you ever accused of molesting Macaulay Culkin?”

Jackson becomes most animated when asked about a handwritten note, which the singer wanted to say to “set the record straight”.

“I’m a black American man and I’m proud of it, and I’m honoured of it,” he tells the lawyer.

“The bleach skin rumour is a rumour, I don’t bleach my skin; I’m not gay. Don’t judge a person unless you have spoken to them one on one – which is true.”

Jackson then discusses the bible and Jesus, saying: “Jesus said to love the children and be like children; be youthful; be innocent, be pure and honourable.

“He was talking to his apostles and they were fighting over who was the greatest among themselves and he said, ‘Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest among me.’ He always surrounded himself with children, and that’s how I was raised, to be like that and imitate that.”

The release of the unearthed footage coincides with last month’s premiere of Leaving Neverland, a documentary in which two men who allege that Jackson molested them as children.

Leaving Neverland features extensive interviews with two of Jackson’s accusers, Wade Robson and James Safechuck. The four-hour long documentary debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah and left audience members shocked by the details of the allegations.

Jackson’s estate has called the documentary “tabloid character assassination” and labelled the testimonies from Robson and Safechuck a “public lynching” with “no truth”.

Leaving Neverland is set to premiere on Channel 4 and HBO this spring.