Anna Nicole: Judge Lays Burial Decision at Feet of Court-appointed Guardian

Ongoing developments in the aftermath of Anna Nicole Smith's death:
" All but sealing his bid for a TV show titled "Judge Wishy-washy," circuit court judge Larry Seidlin on Thursday ordered that Smith's body be handed into the custody of the court-appointed guardian of Dannielynn, the deceased's 5-month-old daughter. ( Reuters)
" In court on Wednesday, Larry Birkhead claimed that when Smith was four months pregnant with Dannielynn and hospitalized to wean her off a prescription-drug habit, Howard K. Stern "was thwarting [the] efforts" by sneaking her meds "on top of what she was getting from the IV."
" Questioned for a second time, Stern was pressed by the judge to admit that "Anna paid for everything," including his $950-a-month rent, since he immersed himself in her life in 2002. He also 'fessed that he stands to reap six percent of any fortune Smith might inherit from late husband J. Howard Marshall.
" Virgie Arthur said Stern is angling to sell broadcast rights to her daughter's funeral for a million dollars and "that's why he wants her body." Arthur also said Smith was doped up when she made the damning "Mommy dearest" video played in court on Tuesday: "It looks like her.... But that's not my daughter. Drugs took her over."
New developments will be reported as they happen. - Reporting by Matt Webb Mitovich
TVGuide.com's previous reportage on Smith's tragic and mysterious death and the resulting legal battles can be found here.