Nicole Smith doctor charges to be dropped?

A judge is considering whether to drop some of the charges against Howard K. Stern and the two doctors at the centre of the Anna Nicole Smith drug conspiracy trial, it has been reported.

Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Smith's former boyfriend Stern have pleaded not guilty to a number of charges, including providing opiates and sedatives to an addict.

According to AP, Superior Court Judge Robert Perry has indicated that he is considering a motion from the defence to dismiss all charges before the case reaches a jury, but added: "I think there are some charges that will likely survive in some form."

The judge previously said that he does not believe the testimonies from prosecution witnesses support two of three conspiracy charges against the defendants.

The charges apparently hinge of the legal definition of an 'addict' - which the prosecution has to prove that Smith was - and whether doctors ever prescribed the model with drugs for non-therapeutic purposes.

The defence argues that Smith was being treated for chronic pain, seizures, migraine headaches, fractured ribs and other complaints around the time of her fatal drugs overdose in 2007.