Rose speaks – Celebrity and High Profile Trials

Beth #104 other thread.

Beth says:
October 19, 2010 at 10:23 am
Sammy, [99] I about fell off my chair laughing at that video when I saw it on the last word (MSNBC)!

If you go to your link and stop it (pause) at .39 sec the writing on the video on the right side says;
” *She did not really say “bitch” ”
I honestly do not know what the heck our goverment officials are doing anymore!
Heaven help us if some of these people end up in office, I do think we will just go downhill faster!

The jury is taking longer than I expected, I am really curious now as what they will end up with in their verdicts!
I am thinking today or tomorrow at the latest they will be done deliberating. Bet the defendants are on pins and needles!

Oh Beth, wasn’t that the funniest video? Like you, I laughed and applauded at the same time. Of course, Max wondered what was going on and looked on as if I had lost my mind.

Totally agree on some of the candidates running for political office, it’s enough to scare anyone. Did you see the guy in New York running for Govenor calling his party “The Rent’s Too High”? I’ve already voted by mail-in ballot a couple of weeks ago. Too bad John Boehner isn’t in my district because I would have voted against him in a heartbeat. I met Boehner once some 35/40 years ago and didn’t have a good feeling even then. It seems, for the most part, our politicans have forgotten or never experienced what life is like for the average citizen on an average or less income. Jobs aren’t there. Homes are being lost. Those with lots of money only want more no matter how they get it even to the death of the middle class. What ever happened to civility, understanding, kindness, or caring for another?

Rose, of course there could be a number of things happening, but I feel that they are trying to argue among themselves trying to get everybody on the same page. Someone is leaning guilty and others not or vice versa. I believe it will be a hung jury after this amount of time. Maybe they don’t work or like their jobs. LOL

I agree Rox. I think Sadow got that ‘evidence’ thrown out because it had nothing to do with the charges.

Me also Rose it sounds like politics to me. Beth I sure wish I could go to the Rally for sanity.I would love to be well enough to go. but I do help any way I can.Sammy is right where has the compassion for others gone? These last few years have been horrible I have never in my 66 years seen such rabble rouser as we have seen in the last few years.

Ya know talking about meds and looking at them it has been a few years since I looked at any name or amount ect on mine I guess I just trusted that the pharmacist gave me the right amounts.I do know the names and watched those though.

11
EJ
Exactly

They probably did pick up stuff for her.

#17 Ken – thank you for the article. I hadn’t seen anything as yet. Have been busy taking care of personal stuff or on the phone. Started to do some mending and found Max had chewed the power cord to the sewing machine. Found a new cord on EBay – let’s just hope the picture is really what I’m getting.

Did you enjoy my little gift to you? #2 above.

Dear Christine had another debate today with Chris Coons in front of an audience of law students. It seems Christine had a problem with the first amendment. Coons answered/explained to her 3 times to the laughter of the audience. When asked another question on the Constitution, she needed help again. Stick a fork in it, she’s done.

#9 Rose – Our politicans have lost their way. Rather than working for the people they are working for those who fill their coffers by special interests. It’s a disgrace and a great loss to our democracy. The Kennedy’s stood for the people and dedicated their lives. I like Walter’s sound ideas.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/19/AR2010101900664_pf.html

Anna Nicole Smith jury ends Day 6 of deliberations

By LINDA DEUTSCH
The Associated Press
Tuesday, October 19, 2010; 11:06 PM

LOS ANGELES — After six days of deliberations, the jury in the Anna Nicole Smith drug conspiracy case went home Tuesday without sending word if they are close to returning verdicts in the complex trial.

The panel is working to reach 21 separate decisions in the case of Smith’s lawyer-boyfriend, Howard K. Stern, and Doctors Sandeep Kapoor and Khristine Eroshevich. While the criminal complaint contains 11 charges, each defendant is charged with some but not all of the counts. There are multiple charges against each defendant, and if any one of them is found guilty of a conspiracy count, the jury must answer a list of questions saying what it believes they conspired to do.

Jurors are asked, for instance, to answer true or not true to whether the defendants “conspired to unlawfully prescribe, administer or dispense a controlled substance to an addict.”

In addition, they must decide individual charges involving specific drugs and allegations of the use of false names to give Smith medications.

Legal experts say it’s not surprising the six women and six men are taking a long time to make their decisions.

“There are multiple defendants, a complicated, lengthy verdict form, complex jury instructions,” said attorney Dana Cole, who is not involved in the Smith case. “And if you don’t have unanimity on the jury, that could make it all the longer.”

He said it is not unusual to have multi-day deliberations in long criminal cases. Testimony and arguments lasted nine weeks.

Defense attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr., who also has no role in the Smith case, said the jury is probably “very conscientious.”

“You have a very serious case where people could go to jail and could lose their licenses,” Mesereau said. “The jury knows that. They’re probably taking their job very seriously.”

The outcome also is expected to reverberate among doctors and pain management patients whose need for drugs is at the heart of California laws under which the defendants are charged.

At the end of Tuesday’s session, the jury had been talking for 30 hours.

Prosecutors have accused the three defendants of feeding the former Playboy model’s addiction to prescription drugs by excessively providing her with sedatives and opiates. The defense said the three were trying to bring Smith relief from constant pain. The defendants are not charged in her 2007 overdose death.

The jury was to continue deliberating Wednesday.

Thanks Beth Yes we do need to restore sanity. One has to wonder if because two people from here have only been let out but can be re entered makes one think McShame hopes to if any are found guilty especially HKS of any charges he will try again. It sure would not surprise me at all..I hope the jury thinks this thru because it will affect all of us at some time and doctors will be afraid to give meds not only for pain but for other things also because they might lose their license or be sue because some of these charges stand..

OMG! I went to close out TMZ and this new story is up…

Oksana’s Bodyguard: We Were REALLY Intimate
about a minute ago by TMZ Staff

Oksana Grigorieva’s bodyguard had an intimate relationship with O.G. since May, and he’s writing a tell-all book that he says will rock the case.
http://www.tmz.com/2010/10/20/oksana-grigorievas-bodyguard-kristian-herzog-tell-all-book-intimate-relationship-mel-gibson/

‘Train-wreck’ II here it comes…

Roxie glad to hear ya say that because it really worried me and ya I remember MJ saying that about his father I also remember him talking about the beatings to keep them in line as the Jackson five. I would hope people think back to those years and I know it is in the past but it shows Joe did not have a decent relationship with any of his children and would not now if it wasn’t about money.I would just hope VA and the VAS would let this go and get back their lives and let the hate go it eventually will destroy ya.

As far as Jackson, I believe he said it all when he omitted his father out of his will. Whether Katherine supported the old man or not doesn’t matter to me. In his “This is It” he stated that he loved them all, not that he wanted to support them all but it seems that is can be proved that Janet contributed to the support when she paid part of the Encino $$$$. Joe may have an uphill battle.

O/T BUT! A very interesting read… that poor woman!
=======================================================
Judge From Anna Nicole Smith Case Caught Up in Elder Abuse Claims
Jordana Mishory

Daily Business Review
October 22, 2009

“An 83-year-old neighbor of former Broward Circuit Judge Larry Seidlin contends he and his family exploited her frail state and swindled the millionaire out of several hundred thousand dollars in real estate, furniture, electronics and school tuition.

In an unusual legal twist, Barbara Kasler now is trying to prevent Seidlin from complaining she was abused or exploited by others to law enforcement or the state Department of Children and Families, which already has cleared him of an elder exploitation allegation.

Broward Circuit Judge Thomas Lynch convened an emergency hearing last week on Kasler’s motion to enjoin Seidlin, his wife, his in-laws and their attorneys from lodging abuse complaints involving her after DCF and Fort Lauderdale police twice responded to tips that she was receiving inadequate medical and nutritional care.

In court documents, Kasler’s attorney, Bill Scherer, claims the only harm his client is facing is from frivolous abuse reports and the subsequent investigations.

“Further intrusion and questioning of Ms. Kasler by DCF and law enforcement would be traumatic to her health and physical well-being” and could “lead to a panic and stress-induced death,” Scherer of Conrad & Scherer in Fort Lauderdale wrote in an Oct. 11 motion, citing concerns raised by the woman’s psychiatrist.

Kasler suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and end-stage Parkinson’s disease, which can be accompanied by dementia. Her ex-husband and children are dead. Two distant relatives are now her caretakers.

Kasler’s one-time attorney, Robert Bissonnette, filed an emergency guardianship petition in July in probate court, claiming he was wrongfully discharged and Kasler was being unduly influenced by her caretakers.

In another court, Kasler’s civil exploitation case filed in June against Seidlin, his wife Belinda and his in-laws alleges the former probate judge preyed on her vulnerability. Kasler and Seidlin live in Marine Tower on Las Olas Boulevard. The lawsuit contends Seidlin began introducing himself as Kasler’s son and wearing diamond and gold jewelry that belonged to her dead sons within six months of befriending her.

Scherer said he believes the Seidlins are responsible for bringing police to Kasler’s door twice in October — first through an anonymous tip to DCF and then with a “scurrilous and improper rogue letter” sent to two probate judges who have a duty to report elderly abuse.

The letters alleging abuse and exploitation of Kasler by her caretakers were sent by Seidlin’s attorney, Russell S. Adler, a name partner at Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler in Fort Lauderdale.

INFORMATION SHARING

His letters said Lyn Evans, who was brought in by Kasler’s niece by marriage, holds the elderly woman’s power of attorney. Evans allegedly ordered a nursing assistant to call her and not 911 in an emergency and forced Kasler to sign reams of legal documents.

Adler said his firm sought the advice of The Florida Bar before sending the letters.

“Opposing counsel may not like what we have done, but the truth is paramount here, and he cannot stop us from sharing the truth with anyone,” he said. “Nor do we believe that the court has any jurisdiction to stop us from sharing information with the guardianship judge, DCF or anyone else outside of our case.”

In an interview, Scherer said the emergency motion to sideline complaints by the Seidlin family was intended to spare Kasler anxiety.

But defense attorneys contend Kasler’s request ranges from unusual to ridiculous.

“It is in my opinion one of the most spurious motions I have ever seen,” said Fort Lauderdale attorney Walter “Skip” Campbell, who is representing Seidlin’s in-laws Barbara and Oren Ray. Campbell, a former state senator, said it is ludicrous to try to prevent someone from reporting elderly abuse or exploitation.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler, who represents Dorothy Colletto, a former girlfriend of Kasler’s late son who is accused by Kasler of conspiring with Seidlin, said state law has wide latitude for elderly abuse reporting.

“If there is a basis for a belief that someone is being exploited, the proper and appropriate thing to do is report it,” Seiler said.

Both attorneys reject Scherer’s allegations.

Lynch is expected to finish the hearing in the next few weeks. No date has been set to resume the hearing.

Kasler’s elderly exploitation case should go to trial in the next six months on an expedited basis because of her rapidly deteriorating health, Scherer said.

Seidlin became a household name when he presided — at times in tears — over the fight for the body of late Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith. For six days, he captivated TV viewers across the country as he made garish remarks about Smith’s decomposing body, offered tales of his time as a New York cabbie and eventually awarded the body to Smith’s infant daughter.

His celebrity status soared with a lampoon on “Saturday Night Live,” but his local reputation soured.

News reports came out that he played hooky from work, taking three-hour lunch breaks and cutting out early to play tennis. Allegations surfaced that he exploited Kasler and accepted bribes from attorneys in exchange for lucrative appointments. He resigned in July 2007 after almost 28 years as a judge.

Investigations ended with no charges.

In January, the Miami-Dade County state attorney’s office cleared him of wrongdoing. In May, DCF said it found no indication that Seidlin exploited Kasler.

Scherer didn’t let the cleared investigations deter him, comparing Seidlin to O.J. Simpson, who was acquitted of murder charges but found liable in civil court to his slain ex-wife’s family.

“We allege [Kasler] was exploited and she was exploited horribly, and we intend to prove it,” Scherer said.

Asset Sales

The civil suit claims the Seidlins persuaded Kasler to sell one of her apartments to them for half what it was worth and transfer a Palm Bay parcel to them for pennies on the dollar.

Seidlin also allegedly wrote more than $500,000 in checks to his family on Kasler’s bank accounts to pay off their condominium, buy a second home and pay for their daughter Dax’s private school tuition. Seidlin allegedly halted Kasler’s plans to marry and move to a community where her sister lived because it could shrink his family’s inheritance.

The lawsuit contends Seidlin, his wife and Colletto conspired to change Kasler’s will to disinherit her relatives and split her almost $6 million estate among Belinda and Dax Seidlin and Colletto.

The lawsuit asking for the recovery of real estate, jewelry and other possessions seeks $3.6 million from the Seidlins, $540,000 from the in-laws and $3.3 million from Colletto, according to court documents.

The lawyer who filed the exploitation case did not stay on it for long. Bissonnette, a Fort Lauderdale attorney at Robert P. Bissonnette P.A., was replaced shortly after filing the suit by Scherer. Bissonnette, who declined to comment, filed the guardianship petition in probate court, alleging he had been wrongfully discharged because Kasler was being influenced by her caretakers.

Scherer called the guardianship case “frivolous” but declined further comment. In his motion, he refers to Bissonnette as Kasler’s “former and disgruntled attorney.” The probate case is ongoing.

In a July 28 report, General Magistrate Rita Berry found there is no imminent danger to Kasler. The judge appointed Fort Lauderdale attorney Jerome Siegel to represent Kasler’s interests as counsel Aug. 3. He did not return a call for comment by deadline and has been discharged from the case, court documents show. Much of the guardianship record is confidential, but records indicate a geriatric care manager were appointed for Kasler.

Adler wrote probate Judge Mark Speiser, who is overseeing the guardianship case, on Oct. 7, stating Kasler’s mental capacity is relevant to the exploitation case.

“During our firm’s investigation in defense of the Seidlins, we have uncovered disturbing evidence concerning medical neglect that is endangering the life and health of Mrs. Kasler as well as financial exploitation that is currently happening,” Adler wrote.

He attached an Oct. 6 affidavit from Vilma Shand, a nursing assistant who began working for Kasler in July. Shand said Evans discouraged her from taking Kasler to scheduled doctors’ appointments and from calling 911 in case of an emergency.

“She implied to me that Barbara Kasler fakes these medical emergencies and instructed me, as my employer, never to call 911 again, unless I call her [Lyn Evans] for permission first,” Shand said.

Shand said Kasler appeared intimidated by Evans, who has made Kasler sign stacks of legal documents when she appeared to not be “in any condition to sign anything.” She said Evans once instructed her to stop treatment so Kasler could sign documents.

She said Evans fired a nurse who discovered Evans had installed a hidden camera in the apartment.

In a second affidavit, Adler’s investigator said Evans is a false name. The investigator also claims two of Kasler’s relatives who recently became involved in her care simultaneously spent large sums of money — the niece purchased three new cars worth a total of $126,000, and the adopted granddaughter paid off $151,000 in debt.

Adler wrote a second letter to administrative probate Judge Mel Grossman, in which he enclosed the letter to Speiser and asked him to “intervene and take whatever actions that your honor may deem necessary.”

The letters spurred Scherer to file his emergency motion with Lynch, saying he believes Grossman contacted DCF in response to Adler’s motion. Grossman did not return a call for comment by deadline.

Scherer said Kasler was being provided with “state-of-the-art medical care,” and the police officer who responded Oct. 1 on the DCF tip noted the presence of recently prescribed medication.

He said DCF attorney Jean Costa agreed the court needs to protect Kasler from “further frivolous reports of abuse to DCF and law enforcement.” Yet, DCF and the police were back nine days later.

Costa did not return a call for comment by deadline.

“Mr. Adler’s letter to Judge Speiser is an illegal, unauthorized and unprofessional attempt to influence Judge Speiser by insinuation, innuendo, libel, inflammatory statements and outright inaccuracies or falsehoods,” Scherer wrote. He said Seidlin must be stopped.”

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202434835578

After all this time with deliberations, I think a hung jury will be the outcome. The jury is no longer asking for qualifications on any law and it does not take 2 weeks to write down how one comes to a certain conclusion. It is really something that after two weeks, the judge that was sitting on the case is STILL on vacation.

I do believe that the jury wants to convict Dr. E on some of the charges but can’t do it without convicting the other two. She just may get a walk in the criminal trial, I hope they get this settled before the weekend!

Rose If they are hung on some charges and feel that they’re not going to compromise, they will consult the judge and he will talk to them, ask what they need to help them and still if they can’t agree, they are hung all the way around.

Don’t you know Howard and the Drs. are nervous as hell? It’s taking the jury this long, to do what? We haven’t heard a peep out of them since they became engaged. There’s been no word on whether they’ve asked the judge for clarity on anything else other than when they asked about the charges against Howard. This doesn’t look very good, but who knows? I just hope it turns out well for all.

BEVERLY, you are right dear! Two very good questions!

Here are the definitions of the two codes:

“725.(a) Repeated acts of clearly excessive prescribing, furnishing, dispensing, or administering of drugs or treatment, repeated acts of clearly excessive use of diagnostic procedures, or repeated acts of clearly excessive use of diagnostic or treatment
facilities as determined by the standard of the community of licensees is unprofessional conduct for a physician and surgeon, dentist, podiatrist, psychologist, physical therapist, chiropractor, optometrist, speech-language pathologist, or audiologist.”

&

” 11153.(a) A prescription for a controlled substance shall only be
issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his or her professional practice. The responsibility for the proper prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances is upon the prescribing practitioner, but a corresponding responsibility rests with the pharmacist who fills the prescription. Except as authorized by this division, the following are not legal prescriptions:

(1) an order purporting to be a prescription which is issued not in the usual course of professional treatment or in legitimate and authorized research; or

(2) an order for an addict or habitual user of controlled substances, which is issued not in the course of professional treatment or as part of an authorized narcotic treatment program, for the purpose of providing the user with controlled substances, sufficient to keep him or her comfortable by maintaining customary use.”

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/10/27/california.anna.nicole.smith.trial/

No verdicts yet in Anna Nicole Smith drug tria
lBy Alan Duke, CNN
October 27, 2010 5:03 p.m

Los Angeles, Caifornia (CNN) — Jurors in the Anna Nicole Smith drug trial, now in their 11th day of deliberations, sent questions to the judge Wednesday that indicated they are unable to agree on some of the charges.

“What should we do if we are unable to come to a verdict on a count or an object crime?” the jury asked in a written question.

The lawyers and defendants gathered in court Wednesday so Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert Perry could respond.

“If you can’t reach a verdict, then you can’t reach a verdict,” Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert Perry told jurors.

Judge Perry encouraged jurors to ask more questions or request a “read back” of testimony before he declares the jury hung on a verdict.

The case against Smith’s boyfriend-lawyer Howard K. Stern and two doctors is complicated, involving three conspiracy charges and eight other counts. Jurors have two months of testimony and hundreds of pieces of evidence to consider.

Stern and Drs. Sandeep Kapoor and Khristine Eroshevich are charged with conspiring to feed the reality TV star and Playboy model’s drug addiction and using false names to obtain the drugs over the last three years of her life.

The three defendants are not charged in Smith’s February 2007 death in a Florida hotel, which a medical examiner ruled was an accidental overdose of a sleep aid combined with the effects of a viral flu.

Their second question suggested that at least one juror accepted the prosecution argument that one of the doctors prescribed too many pills for Smith.

“If a juror were to believe that prescriptions were written in excessive amounts, does it follow that those prescriptions also have no legitimate medical purpose?” the jury asked.

Judge Perry suggested they read instructions he gave them more than three weeks ago.

The case raised questions about ethical boundaries in a doctor-patient relationship, the prescribing of painkillers and anti-anxiety medicines and the use of fake names when treating celebrities.

The defense called only one witness — an expert who concluded that Smith suffered from chronic pain, depression and anxiety, not drug addiction.

Her drug dependency was legal since it was for legitimate medical purposes, including for treatment of her pain and anxiety, defense lawyers argued.

The prosecution said the doctors never said no to Smith’s drug-seeking because they wanted to be part of her celebrity entourage.

False names were used by Stern and the doctors to hide excessive prescriptions from the state’s computer system that monitors drug usage, prosecutors argued. The defense said it is a common practice in Hollywood, used to protect celebrities’ privacy from prying tabloid reporters.

Judge Perry hinted that if the defendants are found guilty, he would consider “possible selective prosecution issues” when sentencing them. He would have the power to reduce most of the felony charges to misdemeanors.

The ABCNEWS. GO. COM story was UPDATED:

“Defendants Howard K. Stern and Drs. Sandeep Kapoor and Khristine Eroshevich were in the courtroom when the jury returned for instructions.

After the panel was dismissed for lunch, Eroshevich burst into tears and was comforted by Stern.

Her attorney said she was reacting to the stress of waiting for the verdicts.”

59- Rose, I guess we can use the trial of Rod Blagojevich as an example. The jury found him guilty of one count out of 24. They were hung on 23 counts. He still could serve time for the guilty count and they can retry him on the remaining 23.

outside courthouse
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b208181_watch_live_anna_nicole_smith_verdict_in.html

kapoor not guilty of all 6 charges

howard found guilty on some of charges

this is per e onlone

2 counts guilty -howard

dr e convicted on 4 counts

So why the difference in reporting from E Online and the link you provided Rose??? Geez can’t anyone get it right