Katherine Jackson says in court son Michael was a 'good person'

LOS ANGELES, July 19 (UPI) -- Michael Jackson's mom Katherine said at his wrongful death trial in Los Angeles the late pop star was a "good person" whose behavior was misunderstood.

The Jackson family is suing the promoters of the London stage residency for which Michael was practicing when he died in 2009 at the age of 50.

His personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, is serving a four-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter. He was convicted of administering lethal levels of sedatives and anesthesia to the singer to help him sleep while he was preparing for a string of AEG Live comeback shows at the London O2.

"The most difficult thing is to sit in this court and listen to all the bad things they're saying about my son. A lot of those things are just not the truth," People.com said Katherine Jackson told the court Friday.

"I know my son was a very good person," she said. "He loved everybody. He was in the Guinness Book of World Records for the entertainer who gave the most to charity."

Widely regarded as one of America's most brilliant performers from the time he was a child, Jackson's career was marred in later years by allegations of child sex abuse, reports of bizarre behavior and financial woes linked to bad business decisions.