California court charges doctors, companion of Anna Nicole Smith with conspiring to supply her drugs
LOS ANGELES: The longtime companion of Anna Nicole Smith and two
psychiatrists were charged on Thursday (March 12) with conspiring to furnish
drugs to the former Playboy playmate in the years before her 2007 death from a
prescription medication overdose.
Howard Stern, an attorney and doctors Sandeep Kapoor and Khristine
Eroshevich were each charged with a single count of conspiracy, the Los
Angeles County District Attorney's Office said. Other charges were filed for
unlawfully prescribing opiates and other controlled substances.
The trio furnished thousands of prescription pills to Smith,
"often for no legitimate medical purpose," said California Attorney
General Jerry Brown. "There is ample evidence that Doctor Eroshevich and
Doctor Kapoor violated their ethical obligations as physicians, while Mr.
Stern funneled highly addictive drugs to Ms. Smith," Brown added.
The charges say they allegedly furnished drugs to Smith between June
2004 and January 26, 2007. Smith died at age 39 in Hollywood, Florida, on
February 8, 2007, of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs shortly
after the birth of her daughter and the death of her son, who also died of a
drug overdose.
Her death prompted a legal battle over the paternity of her baby
daughter. Stern said he was the girl's father, but DNA tests showed
photographer Larry Birkhead was the biological father and he was given custody
of the child.
The criminal charges resulted from an investigation that involved the
District Attorney's Office, the state Attorney General's Office, the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration, the California Medical Board and state Department
of Insurance.
Brown is scheduled to hold a news conference in Los Angeles on Friday
(March 13) morning (1700gmt). -REUTERS
psychiatrists were charged on Thursday (March 12) with conspiring to furnish
drugs to the former Playboy playmate in the years before her 2007 death from a
prescription medication overdose.
Howard Stern, an attorney and doctors Sandeep Kapoor and Khristine
Eroshevich were each charged with a single count of conspiracy, the Los
Angeles County District Attorney's Office said. Other charges were filed for
unlawfully prescribing opiates and other controlled substances.
The trio furnished thousands of prescription pills to Smith,
"often for no legitimate medical purpose," said California Attorney
General Jerry Brown. "There is ample evidence that Doctor Eroshevich and
Doctor Kapoor violated their ethical obligations as physicians, while Mr.
Stern funneled highly addictive drugs to Ms. Smith," Brown added.
The charges say they allegedly furnished drugs to Smith between June
2004 and January 26, 2007. Smith died at age 39 in Hollywood, Florida, on
February 8, 2007, of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs shortly
after the birth of her daughter and the death of her son, who also died of a
drug overdose.
Her death prompted a legal battle over the paternity of her baby
daughter. Stern said he was the girl's father, but DNA tests showed
photographer Larry Birkhead was the biological father and he was given custody
of the child.
The criminal charges resulted from an investigation that involved the
District Attorney's Office, the state Attorney General's Office, the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration, the California Medical Board and state Department
of Insurance.
Brown is scheduled to hold a news conference in Los Angeles on Friday
(March 13) morning (1700gmt). -REUTERS
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