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On March ۲۶, ۲۰۰۱, Michael handed out books to young people at a Newark, NJ theatre. The event, which helped to launch the Michael Jackson International Book Club, part of his new 'Heal the Kids' charity, aimed to promote childhood reading and encourage parents to return to reading bedtime stories. Plus, Michael's library at Neverland contained ۱۰,۰۰۰ books, so Prince was brought up surrounded by books.

As former Los Angeles resident Cynde Moya, told the LA Times, "back when I worked at the Bookstar in Culver City, Michael's people would have us keep the store open after hours, and he'd come in with a vanload of kids, who could buy whatever books they wanted."

The Literally Healing Program uses books to lift the spirits of patients and their families, at the Los Angeles Children's Hospital. Their website states,

" A core component of the program is a dedicated therapeutic library with over ۱,۰۰۰ specially selected books that are designed to help children build mastery, courage and hope while they are in our hospital. Another component of the program uses books as gifts for patients to provide them with a source of distraction during their recovery."

Well done Prince - keeping your Dad's legacy alive!

Panish played a clip of the rehearsal footage for jurors on Monday that was taken from the posthumous concert film "This is It."

Katherine Jackson, ۸۲, along with her children Randy and Rebbie, were among family members attending Monday's packed opening of the trial. Jackson's three children, who could be called as witnesses later, were not there.

Panish acknowledged that Jackson had problems with prescription drug addiction dating back to his use of the painkiller Demerol following his fire when he was shooting a Pepsi commercial in ۱۹۸۴.

"They put Dr. Murray in a position where if he said Michael can't go or can't play, if he said I can't give you those drugs, then he doesn't get paid," Panish told jurors Monday.

"His stirring voice, his musical genius, his creativity and his generosity and his huge heart was extinguished forever," Panish told a jury of six men and six women. "You're going to hear the whole story about what happened in the death of Michael Jackson."

Michael Jackson's former attorney Thomas Mesereau talks to reporters as he arrives at court on Monday

In the run-up to Monday's hearing AEG's lawyers said the Jackson family hoped to gouge $۴۰bn from the company in supposed forfeited earnings and damages but Panish denied that, saying the figure was invented to prejudice the Jackson's case.

"We've never asked for $۴۰bn," he said, speaking to reporters before the hearing. "The jury is going to decide what the loss is." The case was not about money, he added. "It's about getting the truth. We'd like to get out all the evidence. The evidence is going to speak for itself that AEG had a lot of involvement and they completely deny responsibility."

Panish said the singer's family and friends knew of his addiction to prescription drugs, especially Demerol, yet AEG professed ignorance when contracting him for a gruelling series of concerts.

"One thing became very, very clear," Putnam said. "While the world may not have heard of propofol, Mr. Jackson certainly had. The evidence is going to show you that he had been using that drug for years and years." Putnam told jurors that AEG executives were in the dark about Jackson's propofol use. "How could they have known?" the lawyer asked.