JSONParseError: Unexpected c encountered

[GoogleCodeExporter]

What steps will reproduce the problem?
1. I am passing JSON from flashvars to an as3 flash file
2. HTML code:
   <param name="flashvars" value="params={count : 1}" />
3. AS3 code: 
   import com.adobe.serialization.json.JSON 
   ccbtn.addEventListener( MouseEvent.CLICK, handleMouseClick);
   function handleMouseClick (event:MouseEvent):void {
    var params:String = stage.loaderInfo.parameters.params; //pass in 
JSON
    var paramsData:String = JSON.decode(params); //decode the JSON 
string
    textBox.text = paramsData; //write output to text box on button 
click
   }

4. What is the expected output? What do you see instead?
I am expecting to parse out the JSON string in as3. Instead, I am getting

5. What version of the product are you using? On what operating system?
Flash 10 file, as3

Please provide any additional information below.
I am quite new to this, so please go easy on me.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by sandl...@gmail.com on 23 Feb 2010 at 1:43