Bald Truth Exclusive: Larry Birkhead Testifies! Son Daniel Stole Anna Nicole Smith’s Methadone
Bahamas Inquest: All The “Usual Suspects” Monday
By Art Harris, (c) www.artharris.com, all rights reserved.
Anna Nicole Smith’s son, Daniel, was caught on his mother’s home security camera taking a bottle of methadone pills from her hiding place, Larry Birkhead testified Monday in the Bahamas inquest into the 20 year old’s tragic overdose in September, 2006.
Sources in the courtroom also tell The Bald Truth exclusively that when the bottle turned up missing in April, 2006, Birkhead said he reviewed the tape from her Studio City home with Anna Nicole and it showed Daniel red-handed, with friends in the house rummaging around. Later, he tesified, they also discovered an empty bottle of whiskey in the garbage.
He said Anna Nicole grew concerned that her son had a drug issue after he became rebellious, threw a television through a window, missed curfew, failed to bring back her car on time and hung out with friends she considered a bad influence. Birkhead said Anna wanted him to talk to Daniel about her fears, sparked by a dramatic personality change he dates between January and May 2006. That July, medical records introduced earlier show Daniel admitted to the ICU of an LA hospital for valium “misuse.”
The inquest into his cause of death is expected to go two more days this week, with Howard K. Stern, Anna’s ex lawyer, longtime companion and estate executor, scheduled to testify as well.
Several forensic experts have said Daniel died of a toxic brew of methadone, and two anti-depressants, debating how much of a deadly blow Methadone played, and what role, if any, Stern may have played.
A Royal Bahamas police probe found no evidence of foul play, but lawyers for Virgie Arthur, Anna Nicole’s mother, are pressing to prove Stern had some role in Daniel’s death, which the executor calls ridiculous. An inquest jury can recommend a further criminal investigation, or conclude it was an accidental overdose. If they consider Birkhead credible, the roots of Daniel’s tragic overdose began in his teens, with a drug problem that likely lead to one methadone pill too many, and his death.
A recent toxicologist testified that Daniel’s ingestion of as many as eight methadone tablets had to be deliberate, suggesting homicide or suicide, but other forensic experts have cautioned against drawing such conclusions from lab tests alone, citing an interaction with two anti-depressants he was taking, Zoloft and Lexapro. Cyril Wecht told me he still considered it an accidental overdose sadly common among too many young people, including actors like Heath Ledger, and feared a prescription drug “epidemic” of abuse.
Stern’s lawyer, Wayne Munroe, has portrayed Daniel as sad and depressed young man in the shadows of a celebrity Mom.
On Monday, courtroom sources tell me revealed that Anna had once offered him and Daniel a pill he couldn’t identify when he was living in the same house with them and Stern. That’s what he told Bahamian investigators in 2006, during a time he was at war with Anna and represented by attack dog lawyer Debra Opri. In his statement, he said Daniel took it, but he refused, and later learned it was ecstacy.
Under cross Monday by Virgie Arthur lawyer Milton Evans, Birkhead said he wasn’t sure what the pill was, or an earlier claim he’d smelled pot in the house, when he was there with Anna, Daniel and Howard. Evans tried to attack him for his memory loss, but Birkhead said he really wasn’t sure who was smoking it. Sources tell me it was likely one of Anna’s assistants, “who was a pot-head.” Family friends insist Anna would have never given Daniel party drugs, especially when she was concerned about his lifestyle, or taken her prescription pain meds recklessly during pregnancy, when she was being weaned off the drugs.
Virgie Arthur was in the courtroom with her Bahamas lawyer as well as attorney Neil McCabe, and investigator Don Clark.
Sources tell me private investigator Jack Harding will not testify, citing medical reasons, and that Daniel friend, Ray Martino, will also remain AWOL. The nannies have yet to be found, and their lawyer, Elizabeth Thompson, was not in court, sources said. If Melanie Thompson, daughter in law of South Carolina developer G. Ben Thompson, doesn’t show up, Stern could testify as early as Tuesday.
March 17th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Hi Art
Thanks for the up date as sad as it is.
If larry is telling the truth that Daniel was into drugs then this whole saga is not so strange.
If Anna did give Daniel any type of drugs I guess she paid the ultimate price when her precious son died and the guilt she felt would of been unbareable.
It’s just a sad tragic story that has no happy ending no matter what the outcome is.
What Larry had to say about Daniel actually makes some sense and explains some things, but somehow Howard will still be blamed. No one wants to beleive Daniel took drugs on his own but come on people he was a teenager growing up in LaLa land so I don’t find the comments unbeleivable as sad as there are.
Sure am glad you are keeping us updated, now hopefully some people (you know who you are lol) will shut the heck up!!!!
March 17th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
OMG, am I so shocked Harding just cant make it, who ever would have thought!!
March 17th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
I am so sorry for daniel,or for anyone his age,trying to be independent,being with fellow students,trying to be one of them.I would like to know what the girl said to him,when they broke up.daniel may have felt unwanted,therefore trying to fit in with fellow students,his mother had a new baby,and his whole life was changing.he may have felt nobody was going to want him around,i am sure the good Lord is taking good care of him
March 17th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Thank you Art.
You said the TRUTH.
“A Royal Bahamas police probe found no evidence of foul play,…”
How long are these people from Texas going to keep this in the media? I so feel for Dannielynn, she will be able to read all of this one day when she is older.
Howard did not give Daniel anything, that boy/man had been taking medications for quite some time on his own. I do feel sorry that he and Anna passed away, but these people are responsible for their own actions.
Bet ole’ Don Clark wasn’t yelling “BINGO!” today…
March 17th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
There seems to be a never ending sadness to this case. Hopefully, it will soon end and everyone involved can reach some degree of closure.
Thanks for the report Art.
March 17th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Let me guess, now everyone is going to say Howard somehow ‘made’ Larry say these things, right? He must be pretty damn crafty!
Art, wonderful, well written story as always. So happy you’re reporting on the case.
March 17th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
See Virgie, you knew nothing about Daniel. How could you possibly think that, when you haven’t spoken to him, in how many years?
March 17th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
I am thankful Larry showed up to testify at the Inquest.
Virgie slammed Anna during a parent’s worst nightmare. No wonder Anna bared her soul in mommie dearest.
Is Virgie still showing up with her flower pen and notepad?
Melanie Thompson..what a joke!
March 17th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
I have been kepting up on all about,Anna I know Howard K.Stern is not guilty of what people are saying about him,He stood by Anna to long,He loved her and her children,Virgie should stay where she came from.She did not even know Anna and Daniel.She is after every dime she can get,Any body can see it.Just wish the very best to Howard and Dannielyn will grow up and not know about this bad news,Larry you and Howard hang in there for Dannielyn.
March 17th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
How terribly, terribly sad that Larry Birkhead would lie about this as he has lied about so many other things along with Howard Stern. It just amazes me how they are able to sleep at night and not have anxiety attacks and look themselves in the mirror.
March 17th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
How sad…… I can only imagine Anna’s pain. Being a mother myself I dont think I could take that I knew my child had a substance problem and coldnt help him.
As far as Harding, I think we really know why he isnt going.
March 17th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Larry just threw Daniel under the bus… loser!
March 17th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Art, when this story first broke I was at a lost to find one credible report, searching the internet, I found you. Your reports have been comfort to my soul and I want to personally thank you for all your hard work and standing with integrity though it all because I think, at times, it had to be hard.
God Bless you.
Mary
March 17th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
The ONLY person in this whole sorry saga with “clean hands” is Dannielynn. And everyone, including the enabling doctors who recklessly supplied all these drugs, will escape legal punishment.
March 17th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Great reporting Art.
If I can I would like to dedicate it to ALL the “real” liar’s,leeches,wolves in sheep’s clothing, defamer’s and dirtbags…
March 17th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Thanks Art for the update. When is the Texas mob going to give up…it’s a lost cause and Howard didn’t give anyone anything to harm them. Drugs were a part of Anna’s life before Howard ever met her. I’m glad Larry testified today and he did a great job. I’m sure Virgie wasn’t happy but she never is when she hears the TRUTH.
March 17th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Ray Martino cant show up… Interesting since he was the last one to see Daniel before he left to go to the Bahamas. I believe he even drove him to the airport according to reports last year. Art… Look into that guy!!!
March 17th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
A very sad story.
Hope those who wanted to keep the public talking about the story, will find in themselves the integrity to let it go and let Daniel rest in peace.
I think Anne and Howard were hoping Daniel’s drug issue would never become public, they wanted to protect him, I am sure. Hopefully that wish can be honoured now, although it is already a little too late for that.
March 17th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Art Harris, good report as good journalist you are.
You know 20 years old boys are not so easy all the time.No matter were they from or witch class they are. Teeneger past to adult and the are freking out a lot. Daniel was sure a good guy but he was searching his own mine and his own life. Wat I was thinking today is, Anna was in Bahamas and I think it was a good move to try to have Daniel there.Wat I mean is take the boy out of his environnement is not a bad idea.Los Angeles is a big town.Remember myself sending my friend ’s son to his father in Etiopie,cause he was weird. He was there 6 months with his father haha! Adis Abeba nothing to do there so he ad time to make reflexion.
I know Bahamas ad to do in inquest for his dead. What is sad it’s cause by spreading everywere diff. idea his private life wasn’t protect.That is so SAD.
March 17th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
OOPS…Like so many I forgot to say THANK YOU!
AGAIN, I don’t know where those of us seeking truth and justice NOT fame and fortune in this sea of mass media would be without YOU & Rose Speaks… and E.
Yeah, I know I got it ass backwards grammar wise…But I make no claims…other than being an einstein… oh really…LOLOLOLOL
March 17th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Springs around the corner…wonder if the Marple trees will shed those little wing-thing???
March 17th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
The sad thing about Larry’s testimony is his recollection that Daniel sparked a dramatic personality change starting in January 2006 (when ANS became pregnant). No doubt he may very well have been reacting to the pregnancy (maybe knowing HKS who had been like a “step dad” to him for so many years and his “family”) might now be replaced by another man plus a sibling…possibly leaving him with on the outside.
Thanks Art for this update.
March 17th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
I do not think anyone is missing. Liars do not want to be in a courtroom and have their lies proven just that, lies. They all blabbed on the shows but now will not testify under oath. Go figure, lol. Most of the ones who said Daniel did not do drugs, were in fact not in his life for years and years. Clueless, but stated it as gospel. Young adults consume more and more and build up a tolerance to drugs, no brainer there either. Many start with one pill, then three pills and then fifteen. It’s out there, and it happens. Just because a person that has not been around him in years says he didn’t do drugs, meant nothing to me when I heard it from several of the so called family and friends. I do not think Anna could bare the loss of her son even with a new daughter. They were way too close, he was her everything. Tragic that folks just had to drag out the problems that boy had and couldn’t leave Anna alone. She might have made it with more support. One man cannot do it alone, known fact. Anna and Howard needed a lot more love then they were receiving. I am so ready for this to be over so Anna and Daniel can finally rest in peace. She trusted Howard to take care of things as he is and now with Larry’s help for that gorgeous baby girl. I hope they all go home, so they can rest in peace in a beautiful paradise as she chose. My own thoughts and opinions as always after reading this chapter.
March 17th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
M Joyce-
That’s an interesting observation that Daniel’s mood swings coinciding with Anna’s pregnancy. I’m sure he was happy for his mom but I’m sure he most have also been subconsciously jealous; he would no longer be his mom’s “baby” ..How did Daniel feel about LB? Did he know that LB was the father or could have been? What if he didn’t like the fact LB was going to be a permanent part of his life? Breaking up with his girlfriend, a new baby, his mom and Howard all the way in the Bahamas, no wonder Daniel had issues.
March 17th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Art Harris, Is it possible Daniel made an inconscient suicide ?He just arrived with his mom and they were feeling like a real family.Daniel was mixed in his head and at this age they are vulnerable like a baby sorry.So when he was with is mom he didn’t whant anything else than be fine close to his mom and let himself going ?
March 17th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Of course Larry will say anything to help stern. If stern gets sued or goes to trail, danielynn’s estate would have to pay for that too!!! Even a blind person could see this one coming a mile away. If Anna supposedly had a tape of Daniel taking Methadone, where’s the tape now!!!!!!! Hidden with the stern and larry tape, I’m sure! This whole circus is pathetic.
March 18th, 2008 at 12:00 am
“…It was likely one of Anna’s assistants, “who was a pot head.”".
I bet that’s Anna’s assistant Nathan Collins. Theirs just something about that guy that doesn’t seem to add up.
March 18th, 2008 at 12:44 am
I am so glad this story is back it has been boring out there ….Listen Art great reporting, thanks for the update.
Eight pills in his system …other drugs…exstacy…pot…depression..
Sounds yummy eh???
The only person that is to blame for all this drug use is none other than Virgie she gave up on her family a very long time ago. She baled ages ago and for her and her loser lawyers to blame Howard for her grandson ingesting the meds himself priceless, and for everything else there is mastercard..hope she don’t go into debt for all these hours charged. Hey Virgie theys about to repossess your trailer house you forgot to pay your rent or morgage..whoops another bites the dust and Virgie is another homeless person..looking for handouts of cash.
I posted awhile ago that depression kills more people than drugs alone, if Daniel actually had it, that makes sense why he did himself in. Pregnancy or not no one will know the whys of why he did it,the auducity of hopelessness… and for the idiots like Gidget and Ana D who are one and the same person no doubt, saying stuff like Birkhead threw him under the bus…
Larry is not intelligent enough to have a opinion on anything or what he saw. He was not there when her son died. Before that time it is all heresay unless he has the videotape to prove that she actually gave her son a pill for all we know it could of been a vitamin pill!
March 18th, 2008 at 1:26 am
Anna Nicole made videos for the inquest last yeat, but they were not shown.I haven’nt heard about them this time around. Any info on them??
March 18th, 2008 at 5:12 am
My opinion on the Anna’s tragedy as I see it.
This saga appears to be winding down after endless months of waiting for the circus to be over while lives were destroyed and hearts were shattered. Incessant checking on Art Harris’ site for news was not in vain. Other sites either died or were abandoned as pollutants rendered them unsafe and inhabitable. Let’s follow the unfolding story:
Jack Harding couldn’t make it because he followed Jill up the hill. When Jill fell, Jack went running up to the Texas Dangerous Ones, took one look at Purgie who was batting her eyes adoringly at the Madman and sharing his gin and glory. At that point, Mr. Purgie realized there was no room for him so he bade farewell and headed back to work on the trailer. The trailer was being polished for the upcoming festivities to celebrate the arrival of the Brinks truck being driven by the revered Bingoman.
In the meantime, up in heaven there is a never-ending welcoming reception for the dearly departed who forget to properly space in a timely fashion the ingestion of their painkiller pills or the numbing needles gingerly pricking their skin.
Gidget was unhappy when she saw Ana dive under the bus to avoid being plowed by a Jaguar driven by a giant with a midget brain.
Martino missed his flight to the Bahamas due to his inability to book an early flight, as all private planes had been grounded in anticipation of the imminent category five Hurricane SC-Gang.
Cindylou was so mesmerized by a flying flowery pen, she tripped and fell over a weeping South Carolina dog named Sue.
Belle was mourning the death of a Maple tree that withered and died right before her eyes. The immense shock at seeing a once robust 150 year-old tree now cavernous due to being devoured by a swarm of insects prompted an immediate action. Nazarian was called in to investigate and Harris followed with baited breath for a story that would shake, rattle and roll all from here to eternity.
Isabel watched in awe and breathed a sigh of relief, while polishing her brand of sarcasm as the curtain came down.
March 18th, 2008 at 7:12 am
Hi Art, Sadly, Daniel apparently died of an overdose. There is ample proof that he was a user. What happend to him is what happened to so many kids who are the overspring of celebrity parents. Why is that so hard for many to believe. I have to laugh at how all the liars in this case are finding reasons not to appear at this inquest. Thank God the avenues for Virgie Arthur to pursue strickly for personal gain are almost over. But then as underhanded and evil as she has been, nothing she does would surprise me.
Thank you, Art, for reporting the truth.
March 18th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Does anyone remember the awards show where ANS was a presenter? She was so drugged up they had to carry her off the stage. Do as I say, not what I do. It’s hard tring to raise a child by yourself, but ANS never set a good example. Anna was a nice person but not the best parent. Even good parents can have children who go down the wrong path but she didn’t help him. Parents today give their children to many freedoms. My mom could look at my brother and tell how many beers he had. She could notice any slight change in our behavior. She gave us what we needed not what we wanted. Kids today watch MTV My Sweet Sixteen show and thing thats good parenting.
March 18th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Belle (26)-
…WHY exactly would Anna’s estate (aka, Dannielynn) have to pay for Howard’s legal bills if the inquest did infact find him at fault??… Dannielynn is paying for Lin Wood too?? The only person whose gonna end up paying for Lin Wood is Rita Cosby. And she can blame her self for that one. Jackie “I’m DL’s godmother” Hatten?? Great work Rita.
March 18th, 2008 at 10:41 am
I never did like Larry. In the back of my mind I pictured him sitting in a worn chair and yelling “Dani, get me another beer” as he sat in a pair of holey sweats and a bloated belly. His “I only want my baby” speil just rubbed me wrong. I still can’t warm up to him. But I bet now he realizes the part he has played as do others.
How far back can you go to place blame? Or do you live with the choices you’ve made and try to amend?
There’s still hope for the baby. She has a chance to break the cycle.
Somebody’s got to.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
#30 LOVE IT Isabel!!
March 18th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
# 30 Isabel, You have such immagination!you can make cartoon with it!!!
March 18th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Isabel, just beautiful!
I love how the Howard Haters are asking “Where’s the tape?” like they would keep a home surveillence tape rather then rewind and reuse it. I imagine if they would have been able to predict that a bunch of crazy people would be accusing everyone and their brother of wrongdoing, they might have saved it. It’s downright scary that these people, who REFUSE to believe the truth, are out there. According to these madwomen, you and your family can’t even attempt to defend yourself if you’re falsely accused of a crime! I guess if it happened to them, discreditting known crminals wouldn’t be in their game plan?
March 18th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Mrs. Seder - #24: I do recall, as I’m sure others also have, about hearing/reading ANS saying that ‘no one was happy about her pregnancy’. I think this would also fall into that early time period.
March 18th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Isabel,
You are toooooooooooo funny! I was holding my sides laughing at your comment. That was was one great comment!!! You go girl!!!!
March 18th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
This is so sad.. Daniel used/abused drugs there was no foul play.
If you like Howard or Larry or dislike them it does not matter, they did not have anything to do with what Daniel put into his mouth.
It is so easy to try to place blame, and i do believe that Anna gave her son pills, he grew up around it and in Anna’s mind the way to get rid of pain was to take a few pills.
IT IS CALLED A ADDICTIVE PERSONALITY.
Vergie.. Needs to go back to texas and stop trying to get some $$$ gain. She did not know her grandson or her daughter and it shows what a low life women she is to be interested now that they are dead.
This is a very sad story, and it needs to end so Dannilynn can have a better and happier life then her mom and her brother did. She does not need to see all this blame when she grows up and some would even lead ya to believe that Daniel was jealous of his newly born sister..
You can not change the past, but the future can always be better.
Daniel took too many pills and OD’ed, long and short of the story..LET IT REST…
March 18th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Isabel great post had me rotflmao,Nolongerbewildered You post #34 is so right on DannieLynn can break the cycle.IMO LB said a lot of things while with DO that he wished he had not said.You can only come out and try to make up for the damage that was done in the quest to get control of his daughter.We all make mistakes in judgement about what we say and do at least LB tried to correct the misinformation that was out there.If anyone had talked to people who knew Daniel in the few years before he passed maybe they would have found out the truth instead of what they want everyone to believe
March 19th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Absolutely the only innocent one in this whole mess is Dannielynn–I certainly hope that she is able to rise above and lead her life the way Anna never was able…
March 19th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Isabel i do respect your opinion,but I see Virgie smiling,and having no trouble walking in with Don Clark,to the inquest people can look at the same picture,and see different things,i see a smiling virgie,she will not be smiling thursday,and when she goes home to mexia tex,she will have to live with herself.
March 20th, 2008 at 12:12 am
So glad my comment was entertaining. I must have been inspired and affected by a bolt of lightening.
March 20th, 2008 at 3:09 am
Beverly:
I was just making fun of Vergie. Re-read it.
March 21st, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Isable ,I AM SORRY ,I find it hard to watch her ugly face,because all I see is Anna asking for her ma,and virgie,with that sick grin,it is hard to tolerate,i have seen so many kids that need there parents,so many hurt children,i cannot look at the face of a woman that can do that.how hurt anna was before she died,i think she died of a broken heart over daniel,and the hurt virgie caused.Can you count how many people lifes virgie has destroyed,and trust me she is not yet done.
March 23rd, 2008 at 1:24 am
Beverly #46: You are so right.
June 13th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
In response to comment #27 made by Mrs. Seder, I want to state for the record that I, Nathan Collins, have NEVER smoked Marijuana, nor have I ever supplied anyone at any time in my life with Marijuana. The statement made that it was Anna’s assistant who was a “pot-head” is completely false and in no way did that remark bear any validity. Say what you want about me, but I was there, and I lived with Anna and Daniel and Howard, and I know the real truth. It’s hurtful to read comments implying that I was “a pot-head”, when the original statement was vague and unfounded. I loved Anna and Daniel just as much as everyone else, and I grieve for the needless loss of two people i deeply cared about. Thank you. Nathan W. Collins