Exclusive: More Tragic Anna Family Secrets: Little Brother Shot Himself With Virgie’s Gun; Anna Nicole, 6, Walked in, Saw It, Just Stared; Accident Left Boy Brain-Damaged, Handicapped See My ET Interview With Anna’s Prison Brother
By Art Harris, (c) www.artharris.com, all rights reserved
When I interviewed him Tuesday in a Texas prison, Anna Nicole Smith’s jailed half-brother revealed a tragic family secret Virgie Arthur has never discussed publically: how his baby brother shot himself in the head with his mother’s gun.
Larry Dale Hart, 47, serving time in a Texas prison for aggravated assault, told me his younger brother, Donny, was accidentally shot when he was just three.
In the second part of my exclusive interview, which aired last night on ET and The Insider, Hart recalled how his brother was left with a severe head wound after a gun in his mother’s purse went off by mistake as he grabbed at her purse.
Look for an in depth account of my trip to prison to visit Larry later today on The Bald Truth right here.
During our interview, Larry told me, “Donny went to climb on the bed to knock the purse down and the gun went off inside the purse. We saw blood coming out.”
Arthur, a former police officer, ordered all her kids to get into her car and raced Donny to a hospital, where, according to Hart, she went into shock. “They had to give her some kind of tranquilizers… She never talked about it after that,” Hart told me.
Arthur hit the headlines after her daughter’s tragic death in February (07) when she challenged burial rights and then custody for Smith’s daughter, and continues to press her case for visitation with Dannielynn, the granddaughter Anna did not want her to see. because of what she described as her own traumatic childhood.
Despite a police investigation and medical examiner that cleared him of any wrong-doing, Virgie has accused Howard Stern of killing her son, Daniel, and blamed him for what authorities ruled an accidental overdose in Anna’s death. Stern’s attorney, L. Lin Wood, has filed defamation suits against Virgie’s flamboyant Texas attorney, John O’Quinn, for calling his client a “murderer” on national television. His office did not return my calls for comment, but I’ll keep trying.
Despite an alleged rape Anna claims happened under her own roof, the accidental shooting, two brothers who went to prison for violent crimes, including rape, Larry believes Dannielynn would be safe with Virgie today.
May 25th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Larry Hart is a fool! He will never get his slimey convicted molesting hands on Dannielynn, never! Now that would cause Anna to rise from the grave and come back here with a can of whoop ass.
May 25th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
I wonder when was the last time Virgie visited Larry in prison. Sounds to me like he is saying what she wants him to say. Something is very strange about this.
May 25th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
V - VICIOUS
I - IGNORANT
R - RIDICULOUS
G - GREEDY
I - INSENSITIVE
E - EVIL
May 25th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
In my opinion, once again an excellent reason for not having handguns in the home.
Please don’t post all kind of comments about gun rights. Since I am from Canada, where guns are not the issue like it is in the States, i have a different perspective and opinion on the subject.
I am stating my opinion only, please respect it. Thank you.
May 25th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
I have respect for this man, he can hold in his emotion.
He held his wounded baby brother, they (his family) never talked about ‘that’ after ‘it’ happened.
He was given way too, much responsibility, way too, early.
Hope he has a better life, when he is finally free.
May 26th, 2007 at 12:17 am
If I were Larry I would run for the hills with Dannielynn! That innocent baby should have nothing to do with this family - ever.
There is not a respectful person amoung them. Atleast not the ones we’ve seen…
May 26th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Child endangerment..there is no excuse for this whatsoever…Virgie’s record of BAD JUDGEMENT
1. loaded weapon in a child’s reach
2. (one ex husband) convicted of incest;
3.Donald Hart sr-ex wife a convicted bank robber,
adopted son Larry- convicted rapist, son Donny Jr-convicted kidnapper
V married Sr., had his child, raised Anna with them all.
she sure can pick’em eh?
May 26th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
I agree with Clare. I think that Larry Birkhead should avoid all contact with Virgie Arthur and her entire extended family. Anna had her reasons for not being in contact with her biological family and now that the truth is starting to come out, I totally understand why and respect her reasons for doing so.
Anna wanted only the best for Daniel and Dannielynn. Hopefully Larry Birkhead, his extended family, Howard K. Stern and his extended family will be able provide Dannielynn with a wonderful, happy, well loved and normal life. It is the very least that Dannielynn deserves.
May 27th, 2007 at 1:01 am
Art,
You are such a wonderful journalist. Everything you have covered throughout this entire tragedy has impressed me. Other journalists should take a lesson from you. Keep up the good work Art.
~Trish
May 27th, 2007 at 9:31 am
Forgot to add-
Mark Hatten-convicted of stalking,assault,terrorists threats against Anna and her neighbor
Virgie’s new ‘pen pal’
May 27th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Great interview!
If Larry Dale Hart is not the son of Virgie, then he is the step brother of Anna, not the half brother, since they do not have a common parent.
A sad family story, with the children all victims in one way or the other. If Virgie is ever permitted to see Dannielynn, it must be with supervision because she has a history of poor judgement. It seems like the children were left to raise themselves while Virgie was failing in one marriage after the other.
May 28th, 2007 at 4:22 am
If Larry thinks Dannielynn will be safe while visiting his grandmother, Larry should have his parental rights terminated by the court. He is obviously not interested in Dannielynn’s well-being and safety. He has made enough money already out of Dannielynn. Now his rights should be terminated before Dannielynn’s life is ruined.
May 28th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
If ANS truly wanted what’s best for her children why did she continue to feed her habit?
I truly believe she did love her children but they were second best to her first love –her drugs of choice. In my opinion you must understand human behaviors to get insight into this whole tragic story and for the most part little insight has been written. I do however respect everyone’s opinion.
Please keep in mind that HKS was and remains so, just as impaired as ANS as he lived such a dysfunctional life style that he it affected him as well. I do not believe that ANS would have married HKS and I do not believe they even had a sexual relationship–he was nothing more than a “go-for”, enabler, and an attorney that helped ANS decieve, decieve, and decieve.
May 29th, 2007 at 8:09 am
When is Howie gonna leave the house he’s squatting in?
May 29th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Brenda , you keep coming back and repeating the same tired lines. Give it up. Obviously there are others who disagree with your hatred. How can you be so be sure regarding their relationship? I see you are trying to ruffle some feathers. The only difference is that myself, along with others that are supportive to Howard do not get so worked up over our opinions. Do you need a hug? Buy a teddy bear or something:) Laugh more you will feel better.
May 30th, 2007 at 10:56 am
#12 and #13,
It is so like nosey American ass people to be totally judgmental without knowing the facts. You’re not talking like these are your opinions, but facts. Get a life.
May 30th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
MOms Favorite-
as special administrator and exector Howard not only has every right,but also a duty to protect Horizons from another ‘alleged burglary’…
That house currently belongs to Anna’s estate unless a court says otherwise..
Executors duties-to preserve and protect the assets of the estate…executors duties in regards to preserving assets begin the moment the decendent dies, even BEFORE they are officially in receipt of letters of administration/testamentary.
read up on probate laws and estate administration before you spout off and embarrass yourself…
Anna appointed Howard as EXECUTOR in her will, and although the beneficiary section fails, that DOESN’T nullify the rest of her will…
May 31st, 2007 at 2:45 pm
#17, Right on. I have been trying to tell people that same thing, but of course, they hear what they want to hear.
June 2nd, 2007 at 3:23 pm
I wish that everyone would just let Anna and Daniel “Rest In Peace”. What difference does it make as to what her relationship with Howard was. No doubt, drugs were her demise, but, if you were treated as she was can you honestly say what you would be like. I know I can’t.
Dannielynn is now with her biological father, who I honestly beleive Loves her and only wants what is in her best interest.I also feel Howard loves her and wants what is best for her.
As for Virgie, you should be ashamed of yourself for what you did to your daughter and the way you are acting now. Anna made it PERFECTLY CLEAR on her feelings about you and if you had any respect for your daughter at all you would go away and quit being a gold digger!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 3rd, 2007 at 10:55 am
Virgie sure has given Joan Crawford a run for her money, eh?
June 8th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Virgie needs to go back to living her life as she was before in stead of trying to make easy money for herself off her daughter’s death and leave the baby alone. She has done everything she can to ruin her own daughter’s and Howard’s reputation. She should be ashame of herself. Obviously Virgie has no conscious. Dannielynn should be with Larry and Howard and their families who truly love her and care about her wefare.
October 1st, 2007 at 2:32 pm
[...] a/k/a Larry Dale Hart born 1960 and Shana Hart born 1963. Cleria Jenkins is the stepbrother whom Art Harris interviewed in prison. Therefore when Virgie testified in court that she had raised five children [...]
May 28th, 2008 at 3:50 am
They are all perfect…except for Hugh Hefner, LOL.
I sure hope he hasn’t employed any other mother.
Just a nice, plain, simple, ordinary single girl he could dress up with lights and action and a ‘paycheck.’
What is a pimp?
Sorry, guess I should just forgive the sweet old man, and Marshall and let’s just remember them in pajamas, LOL.