Over two years after Anna Nicole Smith’s tragic death, her conniving hanger-on, Howard K. Stern, and two doctors who wrote unnecessary prescriptions for her have been charged by the LAPD with felony conspiracy to supply controlled substances. Both Stern and doctor Sandeep Kapoor, who was famously photographed with Smith on a float in a gay pride parade, were booked last night and released on $20,000 bail each. Psychiatrist Kristine Eroshevich, who described herself as a friend to Smith, may turn herself in on Monday:

Howard K. Stern won’t be shaking the Anna Nicole Smith association anytime soon.
Along with two doctors who wrote prescriptions for Smith, Stern was charged Thursday with obtaining drugs for the late model and reality-TV star, who died of an accidental prescription-drug overdose in 2007.
Stern, psychiatrist Kristine Eroshevich and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, whose office was raided by Drug Enforcement Agency officials last month at the behest of the California Medical Board, are all facing one count apiece of felony conspiracy to furnish drugs to Smith and prescribing, administering or dispensing a controlled substance to an addict.

“These individuals repeatedly and excessively furnished thousands of prescription pills to Anna Nicole Smith, often for no legitimate medical purpose,” California Attorney General Jerry Brown said in a statement. “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.”

Stern and Kapoor, who surrendered to authorities, were both released tonight after posting $20,000 bail apiece. Per Brown’s spokesman, Eroshevich is expected to turn herself in Monday.
Last month, Stern told E! News he did not try to procure drugs for Smith from Kapoor.

“Dr. Kapoor never prescribed medications for Anna Nicole in my name and that is what the medical board will find out,” he said.

Stern and Kapoor were also charged with a single count of unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance between June 9, 2004, and Sept. 22, 2006, while Stern and Eroshevich were hit with the same charge for prescriptions doled out between June 5, 2004, and Jan. 26, 2007.

Kapoor had prescribed methadone for Smith when she was pregnant with daughter Dannielynn, and the Rx was made out to “Michelle Chase,” an alias Smith was known to use.

Kapoor and Eroshevich, whose offices were both searched in 2007 as part of an investigation into their practices, were also each charged with one count apiece of obtaining a prescription for opiates by “fraud, deceit or misrepresentation” and of obtaining a prescription for opiates by giving a false name or address.

All 11 medications found in the Florida hotel room where Smith died were prescribed by Eroshevich, eight in Stern’s name, two to someone named Alex Katz and one to Eroshevich herself.
No arraignment date has been scheduled yet.

[From E! Online]

Stern’s behavior after Anna’s death seemed super suspicious to me, but maybe he was doped out of his mind at the time. There were plenty of strange details in this case that suggested that he was somehow guilty, particularly the fact that he disappeared for the window of time in which Anna passed away, claiming he was making arrangements to buy a boat. He’s definitely culpable for helping Anna stay hooked on so many pills and injectable drugs. She had an abscess on her buttock that caused a blood infection and high fever. That, coupled with all the drugs she was on, including the sleeping medication chloral hydrate, ultimately led to her death. Doctors speculated after her death that a visit to the hospital to treat her septicemia properly could have saved her life, as she wouldn’t have been supplied all the additional drugs.

At least some minor amount of justice is coming to this case two years later. Stern could still cash in for millions as he’s the executor of Anna’s estate and stands to make a hefty percentage if the case is ever settled to award her daughter, Daniellynn, access to Anna’s late husband J. Howard Marshall’s 1/2 billion. If Howard gets an estimated 10% as executor (I couldn’t determine the actual percentage he’ll be taking) of 1/2 billion that’s $50 million. That’s a pretty good motivation for murder, or at least for keeping someone so drugged up that you can easily control them.

Header photo credit: WENN. Photo below credit: Fame