UPDATE:  Today the three defendants, accompanied by almost a dozen attorneys, appeared before Los Angeles Superior Court, Commissioner Kristi Lousteau, to be arraigned on six felony charges each.  They each pled not guilty.  Defendant, Howard K. Stern, 40, was represented by three attorneys, J. Christopher Smith, Steven H. Sadow, and M. Krista Barth.  Sadow and Barth, interestingly, are NOT licensed California attorneys according to the State Bar’s website as of today, yet were practicing law by appearing before the court.  Isn’t that also a crime?  Were these foreign attorneys admitted pro hac vice in this case?  This reminds me of Barry Scheck who appeared in the O.J. Simpson trial without being licensed to practice law in California.  Defendant Kristine Eroshevich, 61, was represented by Adam H. Braun, and was also accompanied by John J. Nazarian, Private Investigator.  Defendant Doctor Sandeep A. Kapoor, 40, was represented by Ellyn S. Garofalo.  The preliminary hearing is set for June 08, 2009, in Department 102, and is expected to last two weeks. The Commissioner granted prosecutor Renee Rose’s motions: 1) handwriting exemplars from each defendant to determine, among other things, who ordered and filled the prescription drugs which killed Smith; and, 2) a protective Read More …

I just left the Los Angeles Criminal Justice Center where I watched the arraignment of Howard K. Stern and two of the late Anna Nicole Smith’s doctors.  They’ve each been charged with felony conspiracy to furnish drugs to Smith and prescribing, administering or dispensing a controlled substance to an addict. Surrounded by more than a dozen lawyers, they pled not guilty to the charges brought against them.  The Commissioner took a recess to consult with the Coordinator for long-cause matters because, according to Stern’s attorneys, the preliminary hearing alone is anticipated to last two weeks.  Usually preliminary hearings can last an hour up to one day.  The long-cause coordinator approved the matter and the preliminary hearing is set for June 8 in Department 102. More details on this to come later today.