Anna Nicole Smith Drug Trial: Howard K. Stern Found Guilty

Three years after tragic blonde Anna Nicole Smith OD-ed, a conclusion seems near in the trial to determine the individuals responsible for her death, and their share of blame. Smith’s former attorney and lover Howard K. Stern was found guilty on two charges.

As we also reported on countless previous occasions, Anna Nicole died days after her son overdosed and passed. Since then, speculation about whether her “enablers” would be brought to justice has been running rampant.

Many ANS fans have claimed that Stern, who was once an attorney to the star but was then upgraded to lover and fiancé (the two even exchanged vows in a private ceremony), played a significant part in her death.

He was the one who provided her with heavy prescription medication because, it has been claimed, he wanted her “out of it” most of the time so he could do what he wanted with her money.

In March last year, the investigation into the star’s death was reopened, and Stern, along with Smith’s doctors, were charged with several counts, including “conspiracy to furnish drugs,” which eventually led to her death.

E! Online confirms now that, while Smith’s physician Dr. Sandeep Kapoor was cleared of all charges, not the same can be said about Stern and Smith’s psychiatrist Khristine Eroshevich.

“Stern was cleared on seven counts but convicted of two felony charges of giving false names and acting by fraud to obtain prescriptions,” E! says.

In a brief statement given right after he left court, Stern made it a point to underline that, while he may have been guilty as charged, that doesn’t mean he was also responsible for Anna Nicole’s death.

Quite on the contrary, he hinted, whatever action he took as regards her medication and how she was provided with it was only with her best interest at heart.

“In other words, everything related to the appropriateness of the medication, I was acquitted of,” Smith’s attorney, confidante and lover told the media.

“What the jury did find me guilty of were two conspiracy counts limited exclusively to my name being used on medication for Anna. Now, this was done to protect Anna Nicole’s privacy and it was nothing more than that,” he stressed.

“Both defendants [Stern and Eroshevich] are looking at possible maximum of at least three years in state prison,” DA spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons explained for E!.