Howard K. Stern, Anna Nicole Smith Docs Ready to Face the Music

Trio in court for start of preliminary hearing to learn if they'll stand trial for felony counts of drug enabling related to the model's death

By Breanne L. Heldman Oct 13, 2009 4:32 PMTags
Howard K. Stern, Dr. Khristine Eroshevich, Sandeep Kapoor, Anna Nicole SmithKevork Djansezian/Getty Images; Danny Moloshok / Reuters; Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images; Ning Chiu/ZUMApress.com

The Gosselins already had their moment in court today, and now it's time for Anna Nicole Smith's pals to have theirs.

Lawyer-lover-puppetmaster Howard K. Stern and Drs. Khristine Eroshevich and Sandeep Kapoor are set to begin a preliminary hearing today at Los Angeles Superior Court to determine if there is enough evidence to put the three on trial for allegedly providing drugs to the model, who died of an overdose two and a half years ago.

Stern has been named the "principal enabler" and faces 11 felony counts, including obtaining fraudulent prescriptions, conspiracy to administer drugs and prescribing, administering or dispensing controlled substances to an addict. The doctors are each looking at half a dozen similar charges.

All three pleaded not guilty to their respective lists of charges, which link them to a combined total of 44 different prescription drugs Smith had taken in the time leading up to her death.

The troubled trio were initially charged in March with the alleged crimes relating to Smith's death. Last month, the tally of charges nearly doubled when discovery—which included photos of the model naked in a bathtub with Eroshevich—was presented. The prelim could last up to four weeks.

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In case you lose track of all the courtroom drama unfolding, there's always this.