"Note: Views and opinions expressed in letters to the editor DO NOT reflect the editorial position of Caribbean Net News or its publisher. Caribbean Net News further reserves the right to edit for brevity and presentation."
The following is the second series of the many letters we have received from our readers concerning Anna Nicole Smith -- her death, the inquest into her son’s death, custody battle over her daughter Danielynn and the people involved:
Faith in the Bahamas
My faith in the Bahamas will be restored if they do not let Howard K. Stern call the shots in their legal system. I do highly respect the right to have your justice system move in your own way, but it is SO SLOW!
Almost everyone I know has wondered WHY a poor defenseless baby is left anywhere around Howard K. Stern. Whatever else you do, please remove this baby from a household where you DO know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was a drug haven. You have a responsibility to do just that.
My prayers are with Dannielynn, and all of you in the Bahamas to do the right thing. Would YOU let YOUR child be with someone like Howard K. Stern? I think not.
Thank you for your time.
Donna Farrar
Shame on the US!
It appears that the main goal of the media in the United States is to make the circumstances surrounding Anna and Daniel's deaths A LOT MORE SINISTER than they "really" are!
Howard Stern would have to be either a psychic or a "medical genius" to pull off killing Daniel and Anna and make "both deaths" appear accidental.
1. He would have to have knowledge of the "type" of drugs that were already present in both of their systems.
2. He would have to have knowledge of the "level" of the drugs already in their systems.
3. He would have to know how the "lethal drug" would interact with the drugs "already" in their systems.
4. He would have to know "how much" of the lethal drug needed to be administered in order to actually kill them.
5. He would have to know, for a fact, "before" administering the lethal drug that the amount or dosage he gave both of them would "actually" kill them.
6. AND FINALLY, HE WOULD HAVE TO KNOW "HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE" FOR BOTH OF THEM TO DIE!
It all boils down to reasonable, logical, good old common sense.
It's a sad very day when the media, at the cost of a man's reputation, will go to such lengths for their own self-gain.
MT Bartman
Open letter in support of Howard K Stern
I believe that Howard and Anna did have a great love affair and that he and Dannielynn are "the" two people whose lives have been destroyed by the loss of that love.
The malicious and irresponsible coverage of the Anna Nicole Smith saga, especially in the United States, has brought with it top ratings for many in the media. It has created mega stars out of, as well as plenty of money for, an unlikely array of characters. It has devastated the lives of Howard K Stern and Dannielynn and, because no man is an island it has also spewed forth to defile every human being who believes in truth and decency.
One would think that with the autopsy report which declared Anna Nicole's death to be an accidental overdose things would simmer down, but that is not the case. With the Inquest into Daniel's death the whole situation has become alarmingly inflamed and we are about to face round two.
Due to the notoriety that surrounds this case it is as if Howard K Stern is running across a world wide land mine in the dark. How can he possibly survive in tact? I'm not so sure he can. His heart was ripped out the moment Anna died and ever since then the media vultures have been mounting an all out attack that will not end until they own his soul.
I have heard that there will be forty witnesses who will be called on for this inquest. How many of these people will come to the hearing without an agenda of their own? There are so many conflicts of interest in this scenario that impartiality is an almost insurmountable undertaking.
If you ask any of the following people; Larry Birkhead, Virgie Arthur, Elaine Tabors, G Ben Thompson, Ford Shelley, Gina Shelley, Bobby Trendy, Jackie Hatten, Mark Hatten, Donald Hogan, Billy Wayne Smith, Quethlie Alexis and her sister Nadine Alexis anything about Howard K Stern you will not hear the truth. They all have an agenda.
Both Bobby Trendy and Quethlie Alexis were fired by Anna.
Larry B. has registered a trademark for something he has told us that he used to say to Anna in the privacy of the bed they shared. This trademark opens the doors to financial gain from books, movies, internet use etc. Larry also wants Dannielynn and the financial bounty that he hopes will come with her. He has been signing autographs and acting as if he has achieved star status throughout this ordeal. I would have to say that anything he adds to this inquest would have to be suspect. He can tell us all that he wants to, how he tried to get Anna off of drugs and yet when he tells (in court) how Howard supposedly brought a duffel bag of drugs into the hospital he does not explain why he did not report it. Could it be that everyone but Howard let Anna down and they cannot live with the guilt so they are making Howard the whipping boy?
Virgie Arthur told the court that her sister Elaine Tabors is the one who has been doing business with her "close family friends" at Splash Magazine and yet their hospitality provided great benefit for Virgie as they chauffeured her around town during the court trial. Virgie could not raise her own child and now she wants to raise her grandchild. Does that make sense to you? Have you listened to the tape Anna made about the beatings and rape she suffered when she was a child and living at home with Virgie? The sexual assaults would explain Anna's blatant sexuality. It would also explain why she came to love both Howard Marshall and Howard K Stern. They asked nothing of her. Why is it that Virgie, the law enforcement officer, could not get her own daughter to stay in school? How much did she do to provide and advance the education of Anna? It was Virgie who tried to stop, and ultimately was late to, her much beloved daughter's funeral and then she ceremoniously shoveled the dirt fifty one times onto Anna Nicoles coffin and walked over her daughters grave as she was leaving.
As for G Ben Thompson and his son-in-law Ford (Gina) Shelley there is Horizons to consider. With Anna Nicole marketing it, I would venture to guess that it is now worth more than ten times what it cost them originally. Was Ford Shelley the one who staged the pictures of Methadone in the small refrigerator at Anna's house?
Jackie Hatten (who claims to be Anna's best friend) and her brother Mark might just be angry over what they perceive to be Anna's wrongful accusation of terrorist threats against Anna which landed Mark in prison.
Both Donald Hogan (Anna's dad) and Billy Wayne Smith (her first husband) had so little to do with Anna and Daniel when they were alive so I can only surmise that any interest at this time would be due to a desire for their fifteen minutes of fame and any monetary benefit this could yield.
Catherine Crier, Nancy Grace, Jeanne Casarez, Jamie Floyd, Ashleigh Banfield, all of Court TV and Harvy Levin of TMZ have gone on the record and maligned Howard K Smith. They did not just provide facts, they continuously provided twisted facts, and encouraged rumors in an effort to crucify Howard. In an effort to make good copy they have helped to create a lynch mob atmosphere.
Several lawyers as well as any number of those named above who are involved in the case have labeled Howard a murderer. Many people want Howard out of the way. Everyone wants to blame him for not forcing Anna to go get off of drugs, for not getting her to the hospital when clearly her wishes were to avoid becoming tabloid fodder for the masses and as we can see now she might have known a little something about that. Stern has not fought back in the media. He has carried himself as a gentleman in a dignified manner.
Here we are at the Inquest of Daniel Smith. If Jack Harding (the PI that Daniel talked to) is one of the witnesses I would caution those who matter to really listen to what he has to say that Daniel told him. A twenty year old does not use the term svengali. It does sound familiar…oh yes that is what Virgie's camp has been calling Howard. Look at all the statements Mr. Harding has made. In the beginning he said Daniel was worried about the people who were surrounding his mother (could he have meant G Ben Thompson and Ford Shelley?) but in later interviews it was said that that Daniel was afraid of Howard and that is who he was talking about.
I have heard that the Inquest will include a tape Anna made to the police after Daniels death. That is a good thing. Perhaps if Anna has the last word the rest of the world will finally fall silent and Howards grieving can begin.
Dani Marie Bernadette D"Angelo
Waukesha, WI
USA
Howard K. Stern
Why is Howard K. Stern being allowed to manipulate and ruin your country’s (Bahamas) reputation?
He is using your country to avoid American law and making you look ridiculous. Living in a house for free, holding a baby hostage, and in general making your beautiful country look stupid and backwards.
Aruba all over again! There were three people in the room when Daniel died. Two of them are dead!
S. Newman USA
Media coverage of the Daniel Wayne Smith Inquest in the Bahamas
As the world shifts its view to the Bahamas to follow the inquest into Daniel Wayne Smith's death, I am praying your coverage and the legal proceedings will be far different from what we have experienced in the US. The shameful tabloid like reporting from our professional news media is an embarrassment to the fair and just citizens of our country. It is no wonder Anna Nicole Smith and Howard K. Stern escaped to the Bahamas, in search of peace where they were welcomed with loving arms by many of the kind people in your country.
We have spent the last seven weeks watching the media condemn and crucify Howard K. Stern for harming Anna and playing a role in her sad, untimely and accidental death. The truth has been told! Dispelling the rampant rumors and speculation, we have finally learned Anna died of an accidental overdose. Her death was investigated by highly regarded and respected professionals in the field of Forensic Pathology and their professional findings found no criminal activity. The case is closed in Florida.
Howard K. Stern has wide spread support in the United States contrary to the spin provided by the “Guilty until proven Innocent” media mentality. I can only hope you will allow Howard K. Stern the respect and fairness he deserves, by not attacking him in the media and I urge you to show the world media what accurate, just and responsible reporting means.
The eyes of the world are upon your country; don't betray your peaceful country and your beautiful people with “ugly” reporting.
Warmest Regards,
Marla Bertsch-Meyer
Baby Danielynn
I run a travel agency in the USA, and I have many people asking me to boycott the Bahamas, which I am more than happy to do. I have been sending out blast emails to people to encourage them to boycott the Bahamas until justice is served. This man has kidnapped the daughter of a good man, and should not be protected by the Bahamas.
Jan Kessler
CEO Kessler Enterprises
Colorado, US
Condolences to HKS
I would like to offer my condolences to HKS and to Dannielynn. I am a fan of Anna Nicole. Her life, I related to. Her son's, Daniel, death was so tragic and I felt Anna's pain. Stay strong in this storm. Ignore the ridicule and stay clear from people that do not support you. Howard, your devotion to Dannielynn at this time is most important. Your arms and Dannielynn's tender, innocence are the only comforts left.
I pray that everything works out and that the world learns something from Anna's story. So many people put Anna down, but too little knew why she was who she was. Sadly, Anna's tragic youth was the root of her long, life problems.
I wished that I had the opportunity to meet Anna. I admired her weight loss, I admired her strength, and I admired her will. She is an example to all abused children, to all depressed individuals, and to the many ignorant people that listen to the poor media reports that have non fictional sources.
I blame the media for getting into her personal life and judging her. I blame the media for her constant battle with depression. How she managed to hold up through all these years, I don't know. I can only imagine waking up every morning hoping and praying that no one would take my picture, put it in the paper, and make up lies for money. What person would like to live to prove they are innocent everyday of their life? Anna was a prisoner of the media and that is the reason Anna was in control of Anna. She was smart in not trusting anyone other than Howard.
I hope that if the video of Anna, painted as a clown, comes into play, that Attorney's bring in evidence of parent's already suffering from depression prior to a tragedy. Again, I relate to Anna's reaction to her son's death. My sister passed away at 19 and my mother looked like Anna in those videos...and, that was because my mother wasn't taking any medications. Only a loving mother can understand how it feels to lose a child...the feeling of life being ripped from inside of her, wanting to die is the only comfort foreseeable, struggling to get out of bed just to take a drink of water, no appetite, nightmares all of the time, pictures everywhere of the child, constant crying at the hint of anything that reminisce the presence of that child...this alone would cause any mother to walk around like a zombie.
As for what HKS said to Anna in that video, I can relate to that as well. I joke around like that too and I don't do drugs. I've caught many parents joking with their little ones when they can't walk right or fall down a lot saying, "Are you drunk?" and they are playing around.
I hope that HKS sues everyone for causing him so many traumas in his time of need. Then again, it may just be opening a can of worms. It is apparent that we live in a society that lives for the bad and not the good.
If I ever make a trip to the Bahamas, I would like to place some flowers on Anna's and Daniel's grave. I would like to tell them that they are in a better place. I would like to tell them that Dannielynn is safe.
With Much Sympathy and Understanding,
Edna
Texas, USA
Please do not allow the US media to dictate how Bahamians conduct their legal proceedings
I have the utmost respect for your country, its officials and its judiciary system; however, I fear that your statesmen and judges are allowing the US media to dictate how the Anna Nicole saga plays out. As a result, Bahamian law is likely to change vis-a-vis DNA evidence. Please do not succumb to the pressure.
There is a six month old baby at the center of this circus who has one parent left: Howard K. Stern, as named on her birth certificate in accordance with Ms. Smith's wishes. Please do not allow the media's prevalent opinion (propaganda) lead you to believe that Mr. Stern is the villain in this saga. He has been vilified at a time when he has sustained a tragic personal loss. Ms. Smith, as the baby's mother, made her intent and her wishes crystal clear. Howard K. Stern is that baby's father.
Although US citizens may be persuaded by its media, I trust Bahamians are not. The world is watching, and we trust your legal system will carry out a mother's wishes.
Susan Carruthers
Florida, U.S.A.
Addressing both Rose Turner and Sandra Lent letters
The "Anna Nicole Smith Baby Battle" is not just a headline for the tabloids in the United States but is a case that many people are watching very closely. In fact I'd say that the majority of people following this case would tell Rose Turner and Sandra Lent to further review the facts before they gave their opinions so freely. Rose assumes too much, stating that most of us "trust the rule of law & wisdom of the judges in the Bahamas."
We Americans have trust in our justice system, but that is not to say that we don't respect yours. Obviously in this case our laws are different. However, I should like to think that the Bahamas and the United States both are in agreement that justice needs to be served for the future of Anna Nicole Smith's child. Americans are seeking the truth & for justice to be served. Should anyone in any country expect less? If I were to correct every false statement Rose Turner made in her letter, I would be writing an essay. However, I should like to address a couple:
First off, Rose Turner's statements regarding the testimonies of Larry Birkhead are entirely false and for one to believe them, let alone print those in their newspaper are absurd! Reviewing his testimony will disprove Turner's editorial. Secondly, I ask anyone of any country, if they thought that their child had been born in another country and was being denied access to the child, would that not be cause for a few nastily emails, to say the least? And let’s not dismiss the FACT that Larry Birkhead was trying to determine paternity months before Anna Nicole's death. How can anyone call Larry Birkhead "cruel" for wanting to know what he believes is his own flesh and blood?
Secondly, I would like to point that our Ms. Opri is merely doing her job. She has not insulted the "professionalism of your Bahamian lawyers nor has she insulted the beauty of your country. She is simply trying to she that justice is served. As an American and Canadian citizen, I feel that we have a moral responsibility to see that Danielyn is in the custody of (1) a fit guardian, and (2) that she be in custody of her biological father. Hopefully these two will coincide.
As I conclude, I should like to know where Ms. Rose Turner got her information, or should I say lack of information, from. She most conveniently, omitted the fact that Howard K. Stern profited a mere 3 million, from Entertainment Tonight's exclusive coverage of Anna Niccole Smith's funeral. So yes, Ms. Turner lets let Mr. Stern grieve, profit, and deceive. However, while he is doing what he seems best at, I put faith in the Bahamian Court in that they will do what is right, and unveil Danielyn's true father and place her in the arms of someone that has her best interest at heart. Seeing how Howard K. Stern is the common denominator in the deaths of both Daniel and Anna, I fail to see how anyone would logically equate him in Danielyn's future.
Not only am I an American citizen, but I am also a Canadian citizen. Currently, I live in the United States. However, no matter what I country I reside, I feel that, as it has been so eloquently said, "let justice be done or the heaven's fall". I fail to see how wanting this would offend your country or paint me as an "ugly American". I look forward to visiting your country in the near future. My parents have vacationed in the Bahamas on several occasions. I have the utmost respect for your country. We are all people and all equals.
Courtney Mackay, Kansas City, MO
Concerned American citizen
Hi, I am a concerned American citizen. I feel after reading a few letters that were sent to you may affect your judgment in this case. The main thing I know for a fact is Daniel Smith talked to a private investigator stating he was scared of Stern. He died two weeks later.
Anna was a witness in the inquest right? Now she is gone. All I am asking is that you investigate thoroughly this man who has Dannielynn.
Find out if Anna was alert when this second birth certificate was registered and who filled it out. I feel Daniel would be scared for his baby sister now. I also feel that if the paternity for this baby is not found out, the baby should go to her grandmother Virgie. She is a strong-loving woman from what I see. She raised Daniel when he was younger until Anna could financially support him.
Sincerely
Peggy Bayly
Louisiana
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