Jackson defence challenges photos of accuser's mother

The mother of Michael Jackson’s accuser has denied under questioning from the singer’s attorney that bruises she claimed to have received in an altercation with shopping centre security guards were actually inflicted by her former husband.

Thomas Mesereau asked Janet Arvizo about the injuries yesterday, a day after jurors were shown pictures of her bruised arms and thighs. The store incident is unrelated to the child-molestation case against Jackson, but the singer’s lawyers have seized on it to argue the family has a history of making false claims for money.