A Los Angeles judge Friday ordered Anna Nicole Smith's boyfriend and two doctors to stand trial on charges of illegally funneling prescription drugs to the former Playboy model.
The ruling followed a three-week preliminary hearing to determine if there was enough evidence to try lawyer Howard K. Stern, Dr. Sandeep Kapoor and Dr. Khristine Eroshevich. The charges included providing drugs to an addict. All three have pleaded not guilty.
The hearing was marked by lurid testimony about Smith's troubled life and the role the defendants allegedly had in feeding her drug addiction before she died of an accidental overdose in 2007.
Superior Court Judge Robert J. Perry set arraignment for Dec. 11 on charges of conspiring to illegally provide Smith with drugs.
JACKMAN TO OSCARS — MAYBE SOME OTHER TIME: Hugh Jackman earned positive reviews and good TV ratings when he hosted then Oscars earlier this year, but he won't reprising the role for the 2010 telecast.
Jackman's rep told E! Online the Aussie actor did not want to emcee then event for two consecutive years, or be thought of as perennial host, but he'd be amenable to returning to the Oscar podium some day.
That's kind of how most boyfriends treat Jennifer Aniston, isn't it?
POLANSKI'S 0 FOR 2: If Roman Polanski keeps striking out like this, he's going to start looking like
DENNIS HOPPER HAS CANCER: Dennis Hopper has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is canceling all travel plans to focus on treatment, his manager says. The 73-year-old actor and artist is being treated through a "special program" at USC, Sam Maydew said. Asked about Hopper's prognosis, Maydew said, "We're hoping for the best." He would not elaborate on the actor's condition.
Hopper was forced to cancel his appearance at an exhibition of his artwork and photography at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne. The "Easy Rider" star recently finished shooting the second season of "Crash," a TV version of the Oscar-winning 2004 film.
ATTENTION, AMERICA! JON GOSSELIN WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH FOR YOU TO STOP HATING HIM: Poor Jon Gosselin this week found himself fending off the advances of the icky Octomom, but it might have been the low point he needed.
This all happened after Nadya "Octomom" Suleman remarked that Jon was kind of cute and maybe the two of them could hit it off (because what the world needs is a bunch more infants being created for our amusement). This led to a proposed reality TV pairing the two as a potential coupled.
Depending on which tabloid source you read, Gosselin, onetime star of "Jon & Kate Plus 8," either turned down the proposed show politely, saying his "spiritual advisers" thought it was a bad idea, or branded the whole idea as the kind of "scurrilous rumors" he is subjected to by the media.
But in a statement, Gosselin, who has been roundly criticized for his globe-trotting, babe-hopping ways since the collapse of his marriage to Kate Gosselin, accepts some responsibility and vows to behave better.
"I am well aware that my behavior over the past few months has not always reflected my personal and religious values," Jon Gosselin said in the statement. "I have endeavored of late to reconnect with my deeper, more spiritual, more altruistic self with regular study sessions and counseling."
He has also apparently aligned himself with celebrity Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, who bills himself as "America's rabbi" and became famous as a spiritual adviser to Michael Jackson.
Today is Saturday, Oct. 31, the 304th day of 2009. There are 61 days left in the year. This is Halloween. A reminder: Daylight-saving time ends Sunday at 2 a.m. local time. Clocks go back one hour.
BIRTHDAYS
Author Dick Francis (89), actress Lee Grant (82), former astronaut Michael Collins (79), former CBS anchorman Dan Rather (78), folk singer Tom Paxton (72), actor Ron Rifkin (70), actress Sally Kirkland (68), actor Stephen Rea (63), Olympic gold medal distance runner Frank Shorter (62), talk-show host Jane Pauley (59), actor Brian Stokes Mitchell (51), movie director Peter Jackson (48), rock musician Larry Mullen (48), actor Dermot Mulroney (46), rock musician Mikkey Dee of Motorhead (46), actor Rob Schneider (45), country singer Darryl Worley (45), rap musician Adrock -- aka Adam Horovitz-- of the Beastie Boys (43), songwriter Adam Schlesinger (42), rapper/singer Vanilla Ice -- aka Rob Van Winkle -- (41), reality TV host Troy Hartman (38), actress Piper Perabo (33), rock musician Frank Iero of My Chemical Romance (28).
-- Associated Press



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