Anna Nicole Smith’s boyfriend, psychiatrist found guilty

Anna Nicole Smith's boyfriend, psychiatrist found guilty

The boyfriend of departed celebrity Anna Nicole Smith, who was also her lawyer, and Smith's psychiatrist, were both found guilty of conspiracy for procuring drugs for Smith through fraudulent means.

Howard K. Stern, Smith's former lawyer and boyfriend, and her psychiatrist Dr. Khristine Eroshevich may be sentenced to up to three years in jail for the convictions.

Smith died in February 2007 which was ruled as an accidental overdose of sleeping drugs. She was 39 years old.

Prosecutors pushed the notion that the two were largely responsible for Smith's continued abuse of prescription drugs because they wanted to remain within the inner circle of the famous model.

Lawyers for Stern and Eroshevich however described the two as instrumental in helping Smith manage chronic pain especially after losing her son Daniel to a drug overdose shortly after undergoing a caesarean operation to deliver her daughter.

Stern was found guilty of conspiring with Eroshevich to get drugs for Smith by using false names. Eroshevich was convicted for using a false name and misrepresentations to get painkiller prescriptions.

Another doctor, Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, who gave many of the prescriptions, was acquitted on all charges.

The 41-year old lawyer was also Smith's manager and boyfriend since 1991. Stern claimed they had attended a commitment ceremony in 2006 in the Bahamas, but no actual wedding took place.

Stern said outside court, "Everything relating to the appropriateness of the medication, I was acquitted of."

Stern's lawyer Steve Sadow said his client admitted to using his name in obtaining drugs for Smith but insisted he was unaware that it was illegal to do so.

Posted by Kade Quinn on Friday October 29 2010, 5:12 AM EST. Ref: AP. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Entertainment, Featured News. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0