Convictions Tossed in Anna Nicole Smith Case

By Brian Scott
Jan 7 2011

A judge in California yesterday dismissed most of the charges against Howard K Stern, the boyfriend of deceased former Playmate Anna Nicole Smith.

Stern was tried and convicted of conspiring to commit fraud by obtaining prescription medications in a false name and then giving them to Smith. Smith was found dead in a hotel room several years ago and her death was ruled an accidental overdose.

Despite the evidence that it was an accidental overdose, Stern and two doctors were charged with a variety of crimes after obtaining the prescriptions for Smith. Interestingly enough, now California governor Jerry Brown, was the Attorney General at the time that ordered the investigation and the sought to have the players sent to prison.

But now the judge in the case has decided that the charges in the case should be dropped. According to the statements by the judge, the convictions against the doctors and Stern were without merit and warranted a complete dismissal of all charges.

Now Stern is a free man and able to go back to practicing law, as he did before the charges were leveled against him. He is also free to take care of his young daughter that he and Smith had just months before she died.

The DA in the case said that he is unable to file the charges again as double jeopardy has been attached to the case. He had no further comment on the case when he left the courtroom yesterday.