Anna Nicole drug conspiracy case goes to jury

The Associated Press, Friday, October 8, 2010, 3:50pm (PDT)

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Anna Nicole Smith drug conspiracy case, charging her lawyer-boyfriend and two doctors with providing the former Playboy model with excessive amounts of drugs, was placed in the hands of a jury Friday.

After nine weeks of testimony and arguments, the last word to jurors came from a prosecutor who implored them to convict the defendants on all counts. Earlier in the day, they heard from a defense lawyer who said the three defendants had not broken the law.

Deputy District Attorney Renee Rose clashed with the judge during her rebuttal argument when he said she was misleading the jury about some of the evidence. He threatened at one point to let the defense have another chance at argument if the behavior continued.

"My concern is I have a prosecutor who is misrepresenting what was said," Superior Court Judge Robert Perry said.

Rose apologized and said she never meant to misstate anything. Perry told the jury to disregard a section of her argument that may have contained false implications.

In the balance of her argument, Rose claimed the defendants were drawn into Smith's world of celebrity and broke the law in treating her.

"In the real world, your doctor doesn't fly to you in the Bahamas if you're sick and then fly back." Rose said. "It happens in Anna Nicole Smith's world."

Attorney Steve Sadow, who represents defendant Howard K. Stern,argued that Stern trusted the two doctors on trial with him to ease the suffering of the woman he loved.

Sadow stressed that he was speaking for Stern. But in denying his client was part of a conspiracy, Sadow advocated for all three defendants. Their lawyers spoke earlier.

Sadow said the doctors acted in good faith prescribing medications for Smith's physical and emotional pain after the birth of her daughter and death of her son. Stern was not qualified to second guess their medical judgment, Sadow said.

Jurors were told to select a foreperson then sent home until Tuesday when they will begin deliberations. Monday is a court holiday.