Judge Robert J. Perry dismissed two criminal charges against Anna Nicole Smith’s boyfriend Howard K. Stern saying that there was “insufficient evidence,” Reuters reports. This is even though a jury convicted Howard K. Stern in Oct, 2010. Judge Perry also dismissed 3 of 4 charges against Anna Nicole Smith’s former psychiatrist Dr. Khristine Eroshevich; she was also convicted on her charges.
The case involved both Howard K. Stern’s and Dr. Eroshevich’s involvement in the former Playboy Playmate’s drug overdose in Feb. 2007. The pair were found guilty of 2 out of 9 felony counts for giving false names and acting by fraud in order to get prescriptions for Anna Nicole Smith, according to US Weekly. Prosecutors tried to depict doctors who were overprescribing medication to a known drug addict and a boyfriend who did everything he could to make sure she was given her drugs.
Judge Perry did insist that he is aware that there are abuses of prescription medications by doctors, but that he did not think that the doctors in this case were involved in such abuses. “There is no doubt that there are doctors who are nothing more than pill pushers and should be prosecuted and imprisoned. This case did not involve such doctors,” quoted Judge Perry’s ruling as saying.
Los Angeles prosecutor Steve Cooley said that he would appeal against the dismissal of the convictions.
Related Resources:
- Anna Nicole Smith’s Boyfriend Howard Stern Walks Free After Judge Overturns Drugs Convictions (Daily Mail)
- Anna Nicole Smith Death: Trial Date Set for Boyfriend & Docs (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice Blog)
- Anna Nicole Smith Death Brings Charges for Howard Stern, Doctors Sandeep Kapoor and Khristine Eroshevich (FindLaw’s Common Law Blog)
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