Thursday, 15 May 2008

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Anna Nicole Smith's mother suing Howard K Stern

Vergie Arthur claims her daughter's former partner deliberately tarnished her character

Anna Nicole Smith’s mother is suing her daughter’s former partner Howard K Stern and US gossip site TMZ for defamation.

Virgie Arthur claims they deliberately damaged her reputation to prevent her from getting custody of her granddaughter Dannielynn.

It is alleged TMZ ran a story titled ‘Virgie has son with step-brother’ in April 2007, just 2 months after Nicole was found dead.

Virgie insists the story is malicious and untrue. ‘Their goal was simple and straightforward. To “destroy” anyone who was opposed to Howard K Stern or his interest,’ the lawsuit filed in Texas State Court reads.

Anna died in February 2007 at the age of 39, when Dannielynn was just 8 months old.

Howard and Anna's former boyfriend Larry Birkhead, among others, claimed to have fathered the girl. In April 2007 a judge ruled Larry was the biological parent.

Alison Adey