3 plead not guilty in Anna Nicole Smith case
Last Updated: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 | 4:48 PM ET
CBC News
The late Anna Nicole Smith's boyfriend and two doctors pleaded not guilty in a Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday in connection with the prescription pills that led to her death.
Howard K. Stern, the lawyer who stood at Smith's side when she lost her 20-year-old son and who later tried to claim paternity of her daughter, pleaded not guilty of conspiring to provide the former model with prescription pills.
Prosecutors allege Stern was the principal enabler in a conspiracy to provide Smith with thousands of prescription pills. They allege dozens of fake names were used to get multiple prescriptions.
Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor also pleaded not guilty on charges that include conspiring to provide controlled substances and unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance.
It has taken two years to file charges in the case of Smith, who died in a hotel room in Florida after complaining of feeling ill. An autopsy found she died of an accidental overdose from a combination of prescription drugs.
There are about 1,400 pages of discovery in the case, according to deputy district attorney Renee Rose.
The case will go to a preliminary hearing that could last at least two weeks.
With files from the Associated Press
