Jackson staff 'threatened boy's mother'

THE mother of Michael Jackson's accuser claimed yesterday she was acting when she was filmed heaping praise on the pop star.

She told Santa Maria court she was told exactly what to say on the video that was made to defend Jackson in the wake of Martin Bashir's controversial documentary.

"I was confused, I was sad, so basically I was acting," she said.

The accuser's family contends it was forced to make the video statement after the Bashir documentary was broadcast in February 2003.

It showed Jackson admitting he shared his bedroom with children.

The accuser's mother claimed she was instructed to say on camera that Jackson was "a wonderful father" to her children. She said when she raised questions about the scripted answers, one of Jackson's aides called her stupid, and claimed he could have her "erased" if she made them angry. She said they were told the video was necessary to "appease the killers" who threatened the safety of her family.

The Jackson team is expected to launch a stinging attack on the credibility of this witness under cross-examination. They have already painted her as a money grabber who used her children to extort money from celebrities.