MICHAEL JACKSON - LAWYER: THE MOTHER OF JACKSON'S ACCUSER NEVER MENTIONED ABUSE

The mother of the boy who's accused MICHAEL JACKSON of molesting him had nothing but praise for the singer - according to her lawyer.

Attorney MICHAEL MANNING - who still represents JANET ARVIZO over her pending divorce - insists his client only had positive things to say about the BAD superstar, and she continued to speak highly of him this year (03).

He says, "'He was really good to us' - that's what she said at the time. She said nothing bad. If it turned sour, I don't know how."

Manning added that 12-year-old GAVIN ARVIZO and his family barely mentioned their trips to Jackson's NEVERLAND RANCH home in Santa Barbara, California, saying, "They didn't brag about it. They weren't star crazy."

Authorities have announced they expect to file formal charges against Jackson, who was arrested last week (ends21NOV03), soon after America's Thanksgiving Day (27NOV03).