Anna Nicole Baby's Certificate Invalid?
Could a technicality force a DNA test to prove who the real father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter is?
A Bahamian lawyer claims that the 6-month-old baby's birth certificate is invalid, because it was signed by the wrong party.
Godfrey "Pro" Pinder told the Freeport News in an exclusive interview Sunday that although Howard K. Stern is named as the father on the certificate, attorney Dion Smith Jr. signed his name where Stern's signature should have gone.
"In America, the lawyer puts his name there, but in The Bahamas either a parent, someone who witnessed the birth, the midwife, or someone who lives in the house where the baby was born must sign there."
Photos: Anna Nicole Smith — Tragedy Strikes
Photos: Anna Nicole Smith — Her Life
If lawyers in the case discover this, said Pinder, they can ask that a new birth certificate be drawn up, and request a DNA test to show who the father is.
A hearing in the custody case is set for March 16. Both Smith's ex-boyfriend, Larry Birkhead, and Stern claim to be the baby's father. Smith's mother, Virgie Arthur, also has filed for custody of the baby.
Pinder is not directly involved with the paternity battle. He is representing G. Ben Thompson, a former friend of Smith's, who says he is the true owner of the Bahamas mansion Smith and Stern have been calling home.
Thompson claims that he found and bought the house for Smith, but that she was supposed to make the mortgage payments. Smith, however, never signed the mortgage documents to take over ownership.
"Well, in law once you do not sign those documents, you do not own the house," said Pinder.
The attorney says that he will seek a "writ of possession" declaring Thompson the legal owner and ordering Stern, who has been living there with Dannielynn, to vacate the premises.
Dannielynn is "thriving," the baby's nanny, Gerlene Gibson told "Entertainment Tonight" Tuesday. The little one is sleeping through the night and loves to play peekaboo. She weighs between 10 and 12 pounds, and has her mother's eyes and smile.