Britney Spears confidante sobs over death threats

LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) - The former confidante of pop star Britney Spears broke down on the witness stand on Wednesday, saying his villainous portrayal in a book written by the singer's mother triggered a deluge of death threats that drove him into a suicidal depression.

"If I went anywhere public, people were assaulting me," Sam Lutfi told jurors at a civil trial in Los Angeles. "People I knew were shunning me. There were numerous postings online on websites ... that were threats to kill me.

People wishing that I was dead," Lutfi said, choking up and beginning to cry. "People wishing harm on my family."

Lutfi, who emerged as Spears' closest friend during her 2007 personal and career meltdown, was testifying for the second day in his lawsuit against the Toxic superstar and her parents.