Anna Nicole Smith: April 2007 Archives
We basically have two big mysteries rolled into one. The first question is who is the father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter Dannielynn? The second question is when will we see the paternity tests that Smith's ex-boyfriend Larry Birkhead requested and a judge later ordered?
Everything involving Anna Nicole Smith's death has become controversial. From deciding where to bury the former Playboy superstar to deciding who is the father of Smith's child to deciding how Anna Nicole died. Now, it looks like we will play a waiting game until the results of Dannielynn's DNA tests are revealed.
Howard K. Stern who is listed on the birth certificate as Dannielynn's father dropped his appeal yesterday after his legal team discovered that a panel of judges would deny it anyway. The logical thing would be to reveal who Dannielynn's father is today, right? It may not be that simple.
Original reports showed that the results would come down in a closed hearing being held today, but most media outlets are reporting that it will likely happen later in the week. TMZ says it won't even happen then.
There are reports that the DNA results revealing the real father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby could be unveiled today, but TMZ knows it isn't so. In fact, we're told that it probably won't happen this week, and that next week is the time.
An inquest into what killed Anna Nicole Smith's son Daniel is also under way in the Bahamas. Howard K. Stern has also tried to prevent that case from going forward out of fear that someone (like himself) might be charged with murder.
Larry Birkhead's former attorney Debra Opri seems a bit pissed off that her hefty attorney bills hit the media. Larry's fired attorney says the charges are legit!
"One can only imagine from whom and for what purposes these stories were started. I cannot comment on unauthenticated documents which were disseminated to the media under suspicious circumstances, and which are covered by the attorney-client privilege. I can assure you, however, that all of the fees and expenses incurred on behalf of Mr. Birkhead were reasonable, necessary, and appropriate, given the complexity and magnitude of this very high profile case that was litigated in two different states and a foreign country. Out of respect for Mr. Birkhead, I cannot comment further at this time."
Respect for Larry Birkhead? You just smacked him with a $600,000+ bill. Now that's respect!
Birkhead won a major victory in court today when Anna Nicole Smith's lawyer turned alleged lover Howard K. Stern withdrew his appeal to block the release of Dannielynn's paternity results even though DNA tests have already been conducted. The results are expected to be released in court any day now!
Larry Birkhead is speaking about the controversies surround his involvement in the Anna Nicole Smith trials. He speaks out about his plans for Dannielynn and more. Here's the entire excerpt from www.larrybirkhead.net:
TO CLARIFY PUBLISHED REPORTS:
BILLS: I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO COMMENT NOR I HAVE MADE ANY COMMENT ON ANY SITUATION PERTAINING TO ANY ATTORNEY'S BILL.
TRADEMARKS: I have never requested a trademark, signed or filled out any paperwork on a trademark relating to Anna Nicole Smith, and the saying "Goodnight My Sweet Anna Baby." The form was filled out by another individual on my behalf. The form was not reviewed or approved by me.
The media is reporting that they have seen a copy of the form, please send me one as I have asked for a copy and never have received it. It does not have my signature or authorization, I am far too busy working on my fight for my daughter Dannielynn, to worry about things like trademarking sayings for use in movies, etc.
**In other words, I will seek to have this trademark withdrawn or cancelled on the grounds it was not approved by me.**
HIGH STAKES POKER: It was reported that I was playing $1500.00 a hand at the high stakes poker table in the Bahamas. FALSE. I do not even know how to play poker and I wouldn't be playing with money like that in any event.
SAVE DANNIELYN?: PLEASE DO NOT SEND ANY DONATIONS TO ME FOR A LEGAL DEFENSE FUND. PREVIOUSLY, SOMEONE SET UP A "SAVE DANNIELYNN" DEFENSE FUND FOR ME (AGAIN WITHOUT MY AUTHORIZATION) AND SOME INDIVIDUALS SENT IN DONATIONS BEFORE THE "FUND" WAS DISCOVERED BY ME AND I DEMANDED THAT PERSON WHO INITIATED THE FUND TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE ANY UNAUTHORIZED COLLECTION ON MY BEHALF.***
YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH.
**************************************************************************************************************************************
MANY THANKS TO MY ATTORNEYS EMERICK KNOWLES, OF ALEXIOU KNOWLES & Co., AND SUSAN BROWN AND NANCY HASS FOR ALL OF THEIR ETHICAL HARD WORK, THEY ARE VERY FAIR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LOOKING OUT FOR NOT ONLY ME, BUT MY DAUGHTER' S BEST INTEREST AS WELL.
LARRY BIRKHEAD
A panel of judges in the Bahamas has laid down the law with Anna Nicole Smith's most recent companion Howard K. Stern ordering him to pay $10,000.
Stern appealed a judge's decision to test the paternity of Anna Nicole's daughter Dannielynn, but on Monday morning a panel of three judges planned to deny that appeal. As a result Howard and his attorney made a last minute decision to drop the appeal.
Not only did the judges say that the paternity test involving Dannielynn and Smith's ex-boyfriend Larry Birkhead will go forward, but they also told Howard that he owes Larry some money.
According to TMZ.com, the judges ordered that Stern pay $5,000 to cover Birkhead's legal fees and $5,000 to cover legal fees for the Registar General.
The DNA tests are expected to be revealed in court one day this week.
It seems as though Anna Nicole Smith will keep helping our ecomony as long as the drama continues. Her ex-boyfriend Larry Birkhead just got a $620,492.84 bill from his former attorney Debra Opri.
Birkhead, of course, has been involved in several legal battles since Anna Nicole died including the paternity battle against Howard K. Stern over Smith's daughter Dannielynn, custody of the little girl and the battle over where Anna Nicole Smith would lay to rest. I bet he never thought it would cost over a half million bucks.
- According to TMZ, Opril billed out her services at $475 an hour with over 112 pages of invoices. Oh, and evidently this woman can eat!
- A total of three $1,500 monthly charges for Luck Media & Marketing, Opri's personal publicist.
- On March 1, 2007, the day before Anna's funeral, there is a charge of 10 hours for "preparation for and attendance in Bahamas re services and var. meetings re same." On the day of Anna's funeral, there is another 10 hour charge with the exact same language.
- On February 24, 2007, while Opri and Birkhead stayed at a private residence in Ft. Lauderdale during the Florida hearing, Opri billed $600 for Seafood World. TMZ were told she brought four trays of lobster to the house. The bill says, "Dinner gift/Ft. Lauderdale house stay." But it was no gift to Larry. That same day, she billed $211 for items at Publix grocery store.
- Opri billed Birkhead $4,265 for Cingular roaming service while she was in the Bahamas.
- Opri billed Birkhead 18 times for Diva Limos that took them to and from the Ft. Lauderdale courthouse to the private residence.
- October 22, 2006, Opri billed Birkhead $1,116.16 for a dinner at Graycliff, a restaurant in Nassau. The note next to the charge is "Alexiou atty mtg." Alexiou is Birkhead's lawyer in the Bahamas. Birkhead was not present.\
- The next day, October 23, Opri billed $2,467.75 at Graycliff restaurant for another meal. The charge again was for "Alexiou atty mtg." Again, Birkhead was not present.
- Also on October 23, Birkhead was billed $25.75. The item -- "laundry service Zawacki." Zawacki is Opri's husband, who was present on the trip.
TMZ called Opri's high priced publicist James Levesque with Luck Media & Marketing. He said, "Debra Opri always gets paid. That's what she does for a living." Wow, a bit cocky huh?
No one has been able to reach Opri herself for comment. Birkhead fired Opri on March 16th after the two realized they don't see eye-to-eye.
