Warrants Served In Anna Nicole Probe
State authorities investigating the death of Anna Nicole Smith raided six locations Friday, including the offices and residences of two doctors, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said.
County prosecutors were aware of the raids but were not involved in the operation, said spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons. She confirmed the searches were conducted but declined to name the physicians.
Attorney General Jerry Brown was expected to make an announcement on the case later Friday.
Smith, a former Playboy Playmate, died of an accidental drug overdose in February at a Florida hotel. She was 39.
Photos: Anna Nicole Smith
The raids being conducted throughout the Los Angeles area are the first public signs that friends and associates of the starlet are under criminal investigation in California.
Photos: Tragic Blondes
Several people close to the model have fallen under suspicion since her death, including her psychiatrist Dr. Khristine Eroshevich.
The Medical Board of California said in April it was investigating Eroshevich, who, according to documents, authorized all 11 prescription medications found in Smith's hotel room the day she died.
Eroshevich had traveled with Smith to Florida.
More than 600 pills, including 450 muscle relaxants, were missing from prescriptions that were no more than five weeks old, according to the documents obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request.
California's medical board also opened an inquiry to determine if there was any misconduct by Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, who reportedly prescribed methadone to Smith.
Methadone is a popular narcotic painkiller that is used as part of drug addiction detoxification and maintenance programs. Methadone overdoses can cause shallow breathing and dangerous changes in heart beat.
By Robert Jablon & Paul Elias