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August 1

New claim in Smith death case

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A prosecutor sprang a surprise claim Friday that Anna Nicole Smith was a co-conspirator in the actions that have brought her two doctors and lawyer-boyfriend to trial for over-prescribing and obtaining massive amounts of prescription drugs.

“I think it’s obvious she was part of the conspiracy because she wanted this medication,” Deputy District Attorney Renee Rose said during a pretrial hearing.

“It’s a surprise to me,” said Superior Court Judge Robert Perry. “It’s a different situation if she’s orchestrating it.”

Rose responded, “There’s no reason for a doctor to overprescribe if she is not asking for it.”

It was unclear how the claim of Smith’s involvement could affect the case. Perry, however, said he was not going to dismiss any charges at this time against the defendants.

Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Howard Stern have pleaded not guilty to conspiring to illegally provide the former Playboy model with opiates and sedatives. They are not charged in the overdose death of Smith in 2007 in Florida.

Rose alleged in court that Smith had e-mailed Bonnie Stern, the sister of Howard Stern, asking for medication to be delivered to Smith in the Bahamas. The e-mails between Smith and Bonnie Stern were found on Smith’s computer after she died, Rose said.

Rose wants to introduce the e-mails as evidence at the upcoming trial and believes she can do that if she names Smith and Bonnie Stern as uncharged co-conspirators in the case.

A telephone listing could not be found for Bonnie Stern. Efforts to reach her were unsuccessful.

Snooki of ’Jersey Shore’ arrested in N.J. beach town

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. (AP) — “Jersey Shore” cast member Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi has been arrested in the New Jersey beach town where the MTV show is based.

Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd says Polizzi was arrested at around 3:25 p.m. Friday and charged with disorderly conduct after other beachgoers reported she was bothering them.

Polizzi was processed at police headquarters and released on a summons.

MTV spokeswoman Emily Yeomans declined comment on the arrest, which came one day after the premiere of the show’s second season.

Telephone messages left for SallyAnn Salsano, executive producer at “Jersey Shore” production company 495 Productions, and Pam LaLima, co-executive producer, were not immediately returned.

The show focuses on the escapades of a group of hard-partying, 20-something Italian-Americans at a shore house.

Heidi Montag files for divorce from Spencer Pratt

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fifteen months after saying “I do,” reality TV stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are headed for divorce.

The 23-year-old starlet and plastic surgery devotee filed for divorce Friday in Santa Monica, Calif., citing irreconcilable differences.

Representatives for Montag and Pratt did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Montag began dating the 26-year-old Pratt while filming MTV’s reality show “The Hills.” The couple’s April 2009 wedding was featured on the show.

Court documents show the two were legally married May 25, 2009, and separated on their one-year anniversary.

The media-hungry pair published a book together last year: “How to Be Famous: Our Guide to Looking the Part, Playing the Press, and Becoming a Tabloid Fixture.”

Montag filed for a legal separation on June 8, which some dismissed as a publicity stunt.

In the divorce filing, she asked the court to deny spousal support to Pratt. The couple have no children.

Terrence Howard to join ‘Law & Order: Los Angeles’

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — “Law & Order: Los Angeles” is getting another big-name prosecutor.

Oscar-nominated Terrence Howard is joining the cast of the new NBC drama and will rotate with co-star Alfred Molina as deputy district attorney, series creator Dick Wolf told the Television Critics Association on Friday.

“I feel like manager of the 1961 Yankees. I have my Mantle and Maris,” Wolf said, referring to famed sluggers Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris.

Howard, an Oscar nominee for “Hustle & Flow,” also has appeared in the films “Iron Man,” “Crash” and “Ray.”

Also joining the cast is Corey Stoll, who will play a police detective. Stoll appears in the new Angelina Jolie film “Salt” and guest-starred in the original “Law & Order.”

His character is partner to Skeet Ulrich’s detective.

NBC to air live episode of Tina Fey’s ‘30 Rock’

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — NBC says “30 Rock” is going live this fall.

The network said Friday a live episode of the comedy will air Oct. 14 and will be performed twice so that both East and West Coast viewers get to see it that way.

NBC executives told the Television Critics Association that “30 Rock” executive producers Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels were approached about a live episode and were up for the challenge. Fey, the show’s star and creator, is familiar with live TV from her “Saturday Night Live” days. Michaels created and produces the show.

NBC has aired other live episodes, but this will be the first for the Emmy-winning “30 Rock,” which is produced in New York.

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