Troubled singer Michael Jackson has been branded a "coward" after turning down a $1 million (GBP660,000) payment for a lie detector test - to clarify his relationships with children.

American tabloid the STAR proposed the test to find out once and for all if the 44-year-old BAD singer is a sexual predator of children or just a grown adult with an innocent fondness for youngsters.

But the Indiana native opted not to answer the "10 Questions America Wants to Ask".

The offer came about last month (FEB03) after Jackson admitted on the controversial documentary LIVING WITH MICHAEL JACKSON that he often sleeps with other people's young children at his sprawling NEVERLAND RANCH in California.

TONY FROST, editorial director of the publication, blasts, "I am disappointed but not entirely surprised at Michael Jackson's response to our $1 million offer.

"Clearly Michael has his own agenda, and the truth doesn't appear to be too high on it."