This is the final week of the preliminary hearing to hold Howard K. Stern, Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor over for trial of conspiring together to furnish prescription medication to a “known addict”. The trial is rumored that it will start after the first of the year. Which is long after the Howard K. Stern vs. Rita Cosby defamation trial is due to start on November 30 and end within a month or before the end of the year.

Last week on Thursday and Friday we had three pharmacists and the other investigator and partner of Danny Santiago, Jennifer Doss, a special agent with the California Department of Justice pharmaceutical task force. She testified that Anna Nicole Smith had been using multiple doctors, pharmacies and associates to obtain prescription drugs under false names. Steve Sadow suggested in cross-examination that some of the medication was legitimately issued to Howard K. Stern for back problems and for botox injections.

Judge Perry interrupted Jennifer Doss at one point to say, “I’m supposed to be making a decision whether a crime was committed, I don’t want you saying that you think a crime was committed.”

One of the pharmacists, Ira Freeman testified he was so alarmed at the now infamous faxed prescription list that he called a friend who was a drug expert named Gregory Thompson, and asked him to speak with Eroshevich in the Bahamas. Freeman said he had been dealing with Smith for years through his pharmacy, usually issuing prescriptions to her under the name of Michelle Chase, a pseudonym used to protect her privacy. Freeman went on to say that Anna Nicole Smith always sent other people, including Stern, to pick up the prescriptions.

Department of Justice investigator Danny Santiago returned to the stand to relate his interview with Thompson after Smith’s death. Santiago said Thompson, former director of the poison control and drug information center at the University of Southern California, called the dosages requested by Eroshevich “outrageously high.” “He said they would work on an addict under supervised care, a dying cancer patient or if you were gong to kill someone.”

However under cross examination Santiago admitted that during his interview with Thompson the doctor had told Santiago that Dr. Eroshevich was trying to do the right thing for Anna Nicole Smith but was not familiar with the drugs she was prescribing.

We also had Homeland Security agent Kenneth Krause described travel records showing multiple flights by Stern Dr. Khristine Eroshevich, to and from the Bahamas at times when prescriptions were picked up in California for Anna Nicole Smith.

Of the last two witnesses one will be Dr. Timothy Botello Monday to evaluate actions taken by Smith’s psychiatrist Dr. Khristine Eroshevich. The last witness is said to be a computer forensics expert who will testify to what this forensic expert found in regards to analyze e-mails in the case.

In other news on Friday, October 23 Larry Birkhead and Debra Opri settled their cross suits against each other. The public part of the agreement says that each will pay their own attorney fees and that the Los Angeles Court will continue jurisdiction to enforce the settlement. The public documents do not say how much of that $600,000+ of money held in an interest drawing bank account since June 2007 will be divided between Birkhead and Opri.

UPDATE: In this morning testimony, Dr. Timothy Botello, an expert in psychiatry, testified he documented prescriptions written from 2003 to 2007 when Smith died. He focused on one month in 2004 when Dr. Khristine Eroshevich, Smith’s psychiatrist, and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor were giving her medications from various pharmacies.

Stay with Rose Speaks.com throughout today as we bring you the latest from the court in Los Angeles as the preliminary hearing winds down.

©Rose Turner
October 26, 2009
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Tags: Adam Braun Esq., Anna Nicole Smith, Anna Nicole Smith's Estate, Celebrity Trials, Chris Smith Esq., Daniel Smith, Dannielynn, Danny Santiago, Debra Opri Esq., Dr. Kapoor, Dr. Khris, Dr. Khristine Eroshevich, Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, Dr. Timothy Botello, Ellyn Gerafalo Esq., Gregory Thompson, Harvey Levin, High Profile Trials, Hollyweird Criminal Justice, Hollywood Criminal Justice, Howard K Stern, Ira Freeman, J. Christopher Smith Esq., Jennifer Doss, John J. Nazarian, John J. Nazarian P. I., Judge Robert J. Perry, Kenneth Krause, Michael Trope Esq., Neil McCabe, Rita Cosby, Steve Sadow Esq., TMZ.com, Virgie Arthur