Smith was dependent on pain medication, because she was in pain and needed relief. That is the explanation of three defendants who helped her obtain medications and now face felony charges in a highly unusual and complex case.
The judge reviewed the counts and saw a murky picture of the evidence. So murky, that as he formed instructions for the jury, he even proposed telling them, "If you find this too confusing, you should acquit."
One example was the fact that /*Dr. Khristine Erosovich*/, Anna Nicole's neighbor and friend, came to treat the Playboy playmate, especially in the Bahamas after the death of her son Daniel. According to prosecutor /*Sean Carney*/, that action is outside the course of usual professional treatment and is illegal.
Yet Judge Perry looked to what he called the core of the case: Was there a legitimate medical purpose behind Dr. Erosovich's action? And if there was, was there a crime?
Carney alleged that /*Dr. Sandeep Kapoor*/, Erosovich and /*Howard K. Stern*/ engaged in 81 overt acts that support the 21 felony counts.
On Tuesday, the judge found some redundant, others unproved and many still with questions attached. What is the legal definitions of pain and of excessive medication? What does it mean to administer a drug? What is a false name?
The prosecutor reminded the court of the intention of the law--to regulate controlled substances.
Investigators found 44 prescriptions under nine aliases. Prosecutors said any false names, even a celebrity's stage names for prescriptions, are violations.
Yet, giving true names should not be troublesome, said Carney. Pharmacies relay them only to the government. That statement prompted an outburst from the judge.
He recalled the Farrah Fawcett case where a medical center employee leaked information to the tabloids.
"Let's get to the real world here," said the judge.
