Someone dropped a link to the latest news concerning the upcoming Anna Nicole Smith prescription drug trial. I was pleased to see some comments from the judge and prosecution about what has become in the age of the internet, an out of control media. Judge Perry who will preside over the case does not want cameras in the court room. District Attorney Renee Rose suggested a gag order but stopped short of filing a motion for one as her office has a policy of not requesting them.
As a side note, I disagree with Judge Perry. What he is doing is actually feeding the trend of favoritism, selective censorship and slanted and biased journalism. If he would allow cameras into the court room, the American pubic could make up their own minds about what they actually see.
A perfect example happened today with the Associated Press. AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch wrote an informative article highlighting some specific problems talked about today in pre-trial hearings in the above mentioned case. DA Rose said` that the defendants (Howard K. Stern, Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor) are making too many statements to the press.
Later on, I went back to the original link to see if anything was added to the article. What I saw blew me away.
The authors name, Linda Deutsch, was removed and her article was butchered.
Hopefully the websites who still have the original article posted, will leave it up there. Shame on websites like “CBS2Chicago.com” who replaced their article with the extremely watered down version.
Here is a copy of the original article and below it will be the one that replaced it. Same link, different story. Truth in journalism is dead.
(Who censored this article and why?)
Jurors In Smith Case Must Reveal Medical Histories
LINDA DEUTSCH, AP Special Correspondent
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? A judge preparing for jury selection in the trial of Anna Nicole Smith’s doctors and boyfriend said Tuesday he will dismiss any prospective jurors who refuse to reveal their medical histories, including prescription drug use.
A jury questionnaire also asks if prospects ever abused such drugs.
“I really want to focus on prescription drugs because I think that’s what this case is about,” Superior Court Judge Robert Perry said during a pretrial hearing.
Dr. Sanjeep 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.
Each could face up to five years in prison if convicted.
Smith died of a drug overdose in 2007 in Florida. The defendants are not charged with causing her death.
The judge also said he will not allow cameras in court because he believes they are a negative influence and help create a “carnival atmosphere.”
Perry also intends to take the unusual step of checking the names of jurors against criminal records to see if they are hiding anything. He said he was concerned about prospects who are eager to become jurors in high-profile cases.
“The problem with celebrity trials is it has a tendency to bring out kooks, frankly,” the judge said.
Prospective jurors will receive questionnaires on Thursday. A major pretrial motions hearing is scheduled for July 30, with jury selection beginning in court on Aug. 2. Opening statements are set for Aug. 4.
Much of Tuesday’s hearing was consumed with arguments about publicity, the Internet and the effect of social media and blogs on the jury.
Perry plans to keep the names of jurors secret from lawyers, who complained that would make it impossible to track whether they were blogging or reporting on the trial via social networking websites.
The judge agreed to ask prospects if they have blogs or social media accounts. He also intends to ask his staff to check periodically to make sure jurors are not blogging about the case.
Perry rejected a suggestion by Deputy District Attorney Renee Rose that a gag order might be warranted. Rose declined to make a motion for such an order because her office has a policy of not requesting them.
Still, she accused the defense of making too many statements to the press.
Defense attorneys opposed any gag orders, saying lawyers were well aware of their professional responsibility in making public comments.
Rose made the unusual disclosure that she was filing all of her legal documents under seal to keep them from falling into the hands of celebrity website TMZ. The judge said he was going through her sealed motions and unsealing many of them.
“I don’t think you should file under seal just because you don’t want the media to see it,” Perry said.
“Everything I file ends up on TMZ,” Rose said.
“Who cares?” said the judge.
“Our jury pool is out there,” said the prosecutor.
“Do we even want people who watch TMZ on the jury?” asked the judge.
“We’re going to get them,” Rose said.
“I hope not,” said the judge.
*******
Jurors In Smith Case Must Reveal Prescription Use
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? A judge in the trial of Anna Nicole Smith’s doctors and boyfriend says he will dismiss any prospective jurors who refuse to reveal their histories of prescription drug use.
The judge also said at a pretrial hearing Tuesday that cameras won’t be allowed while the defendants are on trial for allegedly funneling prescription drugs to the Texas-born former Playboy model.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert Perry says he hopes to avoid a carnival atmosphere surrounding the high-profile case.
Dr. Sanjeep Kapoor, Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Smith’s former lawyer-boyfriend Howard K. Stern have pleaded not guilty to illegally providing Smith sedatives and opiates.
Smith died of a drug overdose in 2007 in Florida. The defendants are not charged with causing her death.
******************
* From QV. After looking around, I am not so sure there was censoring by AP. However, CBS2Chicago did switch from the longer version to the shorter one.
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{ 7 comments }
Thanks for the update on the trial.
Very disappointed to hear that cameras won’t be allowed in the court room. Just from the information leaked so far it looks like it will be an interesting case. I really wanted to watch Stern lie under oath… again, and see the sweat dripping from his beak while he squirmed in his seat and gave those” totally shocked” looks of disbelief.
Interesting that the jurors will have to fill out a questionaire about their drug useage. Unfortunately, it’s California, southern California even. He’d be better off giving them drug tests. Of course then they wouldn’t have any jury pool to choose from.
Hi JG. This is getting strange. I am very disappointed too and would have loved to see what is really going on. There is no place to get solid information from either.
It appears that the AP have two different feeds about what happened yesterday in court. The public has been bombarded with so much “crap” from the defendants, I get really upset when I see efforts to withhold information from the anyone interested. I know for a fact that the site mentioned above had the long version and changed to the short version later. Wonder how many other sites did the same.
“It’s what you feel and touch!”
Can’t believe a tube or the news.
IMO
Once the trial starts reporters will be in the courtroom on a regular basis. I am sure a number of outlets will cover it. Geraldo, Kimberly G., MSNBC, etc. I’m just sorry that we won’t get to see the “blow by blow” show (pun intended given the individuals involved). Why doesn’t someone (hint, hint) contact Linda Deutsch to see if she’ll give one of the “fair and balanced” public blogs the “blow by blow description” of what is happening in court in case her articles get cut again. I think it’s just the jury or anyone directly involved in the case that Judge Perry doesn’t want blogging.
Truthfully, the Judge seems to be controlling the case very well. It’s probably better for the jury that it isn’t on TV and they don’t get to caught up in the “hoopla”. The less that can be discussed with them if it turns out they are not sequestered.
Larry won’t have a camera to use as a tryout for a reality show. This decision also works against Sadow and Stern and the doctor’s. They won’t have a camera to play to although no one liked Stern after the “Florida Performance” Sound bites when they get out of the court room is about all they can do and anything they have said or TMZ has reported doesn’t seem to be received well by the public that blogs no matter how twisted Harvey reports it.
I’m not sure why the prosecuter is so worried. She has an excellent case. She just needs to stay one step ahead of them and be careful of the dirt they will try to dish out because they will try everything in their power for a defense because….they don’t have one!!!!!!
Consider this. Health insurance premiums, co-pays and prescription costs are going up drastically in California. All of this during a horrible economic downturn. People cannot afford their legitimate health care needs and meds. In this severe economic climate people are really getting tired of the wealthy, the celebrities (Jackson, Lohan, Smith, etc) and the wannabees (Birkhead, Stern) getting anything they request; more than they need; even when they don’t need it, especially drugs from doctors like Murray, Kapoor and Ersohevitch.
Add to that the blatant disregard for the law and the Medical profession and they are going down. There is no way in hell they are getting off, especially with a stupid defense like I’m gay and they are picking on me and I’m not the only one that does it. (> He just admitted his guilt<). For sure Kapoor sealed his fate with that lame defense. I'm sure there are doctor's from the Medical Board that will nail the doctors as to the grossness of their prescribing practices being totally outside the realm of any medical practice.
When the doctors go down so does Howard. Being a lawyer works against him. He of all people should never have fraudulently used different names to procur drugs for someone else let alone adminster them. By virtue of the fact that he (a lawyer) spelled his name differently a number of times indicates he knew what he was doing was wrong and he was doing something illegal. A juror doesn't need a degree to figure that out. It won't matter what their lame excuses and lies are, the records speak for themselves.
I believe people are getting tired of all of this "bad behavior" from their celebrities, politicians and sports hero's. Their waste of money; frivoulous lifestyles; blatant disregard for the law; lack of any type of common decency (and they get free reign as it is) as well as their abilty to take advantage of the system, (ie. tax breaks or by getting a hold of all the drugs they want) is no longer flying and being accepted has okay by the "common man" who is struggling just to make ends meet.
These three have an uphill battle and I for one do not believe for one second that they they will get off knowing the case against them like many of us do. Neither do the talking heads and legal beagles.
Though I won't miss fairy Larry's audition, I so wanted to watch, poor kapoor, e ros a bitch and Stern the worm squirm. Sigh! ..sniff…darn it! :( Guess we'll have to wait for the movie or another book. Where's Rita? LOL!
Where’s “Lovely Rita?” LOL!
That was nicely written by I’m “Just Guessing” a pro.
If only it were true…people eat what they’re fed.
I’m lonesome, look out!
Bravo!!! I liked her post too Freida.
JG, you are hired :-)
Her? Let’s keep it mysterious
Especially loved the (><)…and someone was up late or rather early I mean.
I think it's coming on again, yep time for a song.
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