Judge Denies Motion to Dismiss Charges Against Doctor in Anna Nicole Smith Case
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A Los Angeles judge on Tuesday denied a defense motion to dismiss two charges against a doctor accused of illegally funneling prescription drugs to Anna Nicole Smith.
Superior Court Judge David Wesley rejected the motion by Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, who sought to have a drug conspiracy charge dropped along with one count of unlawfully obtaining a prescription by a false name.
Kapoor, Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Smith's former lawyer-boyfriend Howard K. Stern have pleaded not guilty to conspiring to illegally providing sedatives and opiates to the former Playboy model. They are not charged with causing her death.
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If convicted, they each could face more than five years in prison.
Smith died of an accidental overdose of at least nine medications in February 2007 at a Florida hotel.
In other developments, the case was reassigned back to Superior Court Judge Robert Perry, who oversaw the preliminary hearing and ordered all three defendants to stand trial.
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The next hearing is scheduled for July 20. Jury selection is expected to begin Aug. 2, with opening statements slated for Aug. 5.