L.A. prosecutors kicked off the Anna Nicole Smith drug conspiracy case Wednesday, accusing her former doctors and lawyer-boyfriend of funneling drugs to the model and reality TV star in excessive quantities, The Los Angeles Times reported.
The three defendants in the case are accused of illegally providing the Playboy playmate with controlled substances before her death in 2007 at the age of 39 from an accidental overdose.
Smith’s lawyer-boyfriend Howard K. Stern is charged with 11 felony counts that include supplying drugs to an addict, providing drugs to Smith that were prescribed under Stern’s name and conspiracy to commit a crime.
“He cared for her, he cherished her, he loved her,” Stern’s attorney Steve Sadow told jurors Wednesday as his client sat stoically.
The other defendants include Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, 41, and Dr. Khristine Eroshevich, 61. Both are charged with six felony counts that include unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance, providing drugs to an addict and conspiracy to commit a crime.
All three have pleaded not guilty to the charges, the Times reported.
The judge overseeing the case clarified to the jury earlier in the week that the defendants are not on trial for causing the model’s death. Rather, they are accused of illegally providing prescription drugs to Smith from June 2004 until Feb. 8, 2007, the day she died.
This is the second time Stern, 41, has been in court after his girlfriend’s death. He and Smith’s ex-boyfriend Larry Birkhead engaged in a highly publicized custody battle over Smith’s young daughter, Dannielynn.
Both men claimed paternity but a DNA test revealed Birkhead was the girl’s father.