Psychiatrist describes Anna Nicole as addicted

Dr. Nathalie Maullin was to continue her testimony Tuesday as prosecutors sought to show that the celebrity model was addicted to painkillers supplied by defendants in a drug case.

Maullin took the stand Monday after a disruption in the testimony of star witness Larry Birkhead resulted in the disappearance from the courtroom of a member of the prosecution team.

District attorney's spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said the future role of Deputy District Attorney Sarah Slice was under discussion after Birkhead, the father of Smith's daughter, testified that she tried to influence his testimony. He said the young prosecutor suggested he was "taking the side" of Smith's former boyfriend, lawyer Howard K. Stern.

Birkhead said Slice also warned him his daughter might have future problems because of her mother's drug use.

"I felt I personally did my best and I was being chastised," Birkhead said under questioning by defense attorney Ellyn Garofalo.

Birkhead said Slice told him prosecutors were "frustrated" with his testimony in the preliminary hearing, which will decide whether Stern and two doctors stand trial. They are charged with conspiracy to illegally give controlled substances to the former Playboy Playmate, who died of an accidental overdose in 2007.

When court resumed after lunch, Slice was absent. An after-hours call to her office was not answered.

After the upheaval, Deputy District attorney Renee Rose kept Birkhead on the stand talking about Smith's drug use and tried to get him to say she was an addict.

He said he thought she took too many medications but that she told him: "I'm not a drug addict."

Superior Court Judge Robert J. Perry asked if he ever had a conversation with Stern in which he used the word "addiction."

"No," said the witness.

1|2|Next Page>>

PrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email