Two guilty on some counts in Anna Nicole Smith drug case

Two guilty on some counts in Anna Nicole Smith drug case

2010-10-29 05:23:09 GMT+7 (ICT)

LOS ANGELES (BNO NEWS) -- A jury on Thursday reached verdict in the drug trial against two physicians and a lawyer in relation to the accidental overdose death of Anna Nicole Smith.

The trial accused Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, psychiatrist Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Smith's boyfriend and lawyer Howard K. Stern of conspiring to unlawfully provide controlled substances to an addict and of obtaining the medication through fraud. However, they were not charged with causing the model's death as it was ruled accidental.

During the two-month trial, prosecutors alleged that the three defendants used non-conventional methods to obtain and provide powerful opiates and sedatives to Smith for three years before her overdose death at a Florida hotel in February 2007.

The jury acquitted Kapoor of all six charges against him related to the illegal prescription of medications he provided to the Playboy model. Kapoor, a specialist in internal and geriatric medicine, wrote many prescriptions for opiates and sedatives during the period he was Smith's internist.

Kapoor, 42, said he followed a drug regimen established by Smith's previous doctor who sold his practice to him. Defense attorneys told the jury that Smith suffered from chronic physical pain and emotional pain after the death of her son, Daniel.

Eroshevich was convicted of four counts of obtaining medication through fraud as Smith was prescribed opiates under false names. In addition, Kapoor and Eroshevich were accused of crossing boundaries between their professional and personal relationships.

On the other hand, Stern was found not guilty on seven counts of obtaining and providing drugs to an addict but convicted of two conspiracy counts of aiding and abetting doctors. Both Erosevich and Stern face prison time and sentencing is scheduled for January 6.

The defense attorneys argued that each of their clients was acting in Smith's best interests and that a doctor's medical judgment cannot be second guessed. Furthermore, they accused the Los Angeles County district attorney's office of expending too many resources on the case.

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