Michael Jackson’s mother testified* on Monday in her wrongful death lawsuit against concert promoter AEG Live that the late pop star denied he was abusing prescription drugs* when she confronted him in the years before his death.

    Katherine Jackson, 83, said under cross-examination that she and her family had heard rumors that the singer was abusing pain medications but never saw him under the influence of drugs or alcohol in the final years of his life.

    AEG has argued that Jackson had prescription drug and addiction problems for years before entering into any agreement with the company.

    Jackson died at age 50 in June 2009 in Los Angeles from an overdose of the surgical anaesthetic* propofol* while preparing for his “This Is It” series of comeback shows in London.

    The lawsuit alleges that privately held AEG Live hired Dr. Conrad Murray as Jackson’s personal physician. Murray was caring for the singer as he rehearsed for the shows and was convicted of involuntary manslaughter* in 2011 for administering the propofol that killed Jackson.(SD-Agencies)