More Praise For Jackson As Defence Goes On The Attack

LATEST: Michael Jackson's defence is getting stronger by the day thanks to taped testimonies from his child molestation accuser and his family that the singer was "a father figure".

After the prosecution in the case puzzled legal analysts last week (ends04MAR05) by playing a video of the ARVIZO family praising Jackson, the pop star's attorney THOMAS MESEREAU presented an audio tape as evidence in court this morning (07MAR05).

On the tape, recorded by a private investigator hired by Jackson's former lawyer MARK GERAGOS in February, 2003, the young accuser GAVIN and his family were heard complimenting the King of Pop and recounting the abuse they suffered at the hands of their biological father.

When questioned about the tape by Mesereau, Gavin's older sister DAVELLIN, 18, insisted the jury should not read too much into the family's comments made two years ago.

She told the lawyer, "I don't know what a father is. I had 16 years of abuse I was just latching on to something."

The accuser's younger brother STAR has also appeared to testify this morning. He told the court of an evening when Jackson surfed for internet porn while he and his sibling watched.