Celebrity Justice
Birkhead - Stern Settlement?

TMZ has learned that lawyers for Larry Birkhead and Howard K. Stern are in settlement negotiations.

There was a buzz at the courthouse after Krista Barth, Stern's lawyer, removed a styrofoam cup of water that rested on the witness stand as Birkhead testified in the Anna Nicole burial hearing. The cup went missing and there was speculation that Stern's reps used it for a DNA test, which could have provided the evidence proving Birkhead is the father Anna Nicole's daughter Dannielynn.

We're told a day after the cup incident, the parties started negotiating. TMZ spoke with Birkhead's lawyer Debra Opri Sunday in the Bahamas, who would not confirm a settlement. She did, however, say DNA testing must be completed and paternity established before any settlement could occur.

Sources say Stern could be amenable to giving Birkhead what he needs to establish custody. We're told that in return, Stern wants ongoing control of Anna's estate and, once the estate is probated, continued involvement by becoming trustee for Dannielynn.

Tags: Anna Nicole Smith, AnnaNicoleSmith, Howard k. stern, HowardK.Stern, Larry Birkhead, LarryBirkhead

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871. LARRY IS NOT SAD OVER THE DEATH OF ANNA NICOLE...THOSE ARE TEARS OF JOY FOR THE SPERM HE DONATED THAT IS WORTH $450 MILLION DOLLARS....

Posted at 12:28PM on Feb 27th 2007 by BABS

872. LARRY IS NOT SAD OVER THE DEATH OF ANNA NICOLE...THOSE ARE TEARS OF JOY FOR THE SPERM HE DONATED THAT IS WORTH $450 MILLION DOLLARS....

Posted at 12:30PM on Feb 27th 2007 by BABS

873. Mo -

I've enjoyed our discussions of these many issues, but I wonder, whatever will we have to discuss when it's all settled? :)

About the urgency issue, just going by Larry's testimony, I don't think there was any. He and Anna had a fight over her wanting him to get her sunglasses and him wanting to finish his invoices. She told him to leave the salon. He called Howard to tell him they'd had a fight and he needed to come get her. He spoke to Howard next because Anna had asked him to mediate - something that, according to Larry, she'd asked him to do during previous arguments between them. Howard told him he needed to get over there and act right or Anna was going to go be with the real father. Larry wondered why he should if that was what she was planning to do. From that, I gather he just didn't go back.

I don't really think Anna intentionally pushed him out of her life at that specific time. It just happened that way. He mentioned the Supreme Court case a couple of times throughout his testimony. He said it was something he wasn't privy to. Sometimes I wonder if he didn't feel a bit left out because of it. Of course, he won't be left out of it if he turns out to be the baby's biological father.

You said, "Why would they need to be on the 'same page'? I assume you are talking about HKS?"

Honestly, I have no idea WHO Larry was talking about when he said "they" needed to be on the same page.

Posted at 3:10PM on Feb 27th 2007 by Christina

874. Mo -

I don't recall anything really about ANS before I started seeing stuff about her daughter's birth this past fall. I didn't follow her story at all before that time and maybe that's what makes our perspectives so much different.

I think I may have asked you this yesterday. Do you think I should buy the DVDs of the show? I can't decide.

I agree with what you said about their relationship starting because of money and that the money is still in play. However, I think their relationship changed to become more than an attorney-client relationship over time. Don't you?

I'm curious. What do you think Howard should've done to stop Anna from taking the medicine she was prescribed?

I didn't see the True Hollywood Story, but I don't think I'd have to to believe Anna played with people's minds.

What I'm getting at with Larry not knowing who took her to SC is that if he was so worried about the baby, shouldn't he have known? He claims he was still in contact with her at that time.

Am I surprised that Anna wouldn't be exclusive with Larry? Nope, but Larry uses that claim as part of the "proof" that he is the baby's father. Anna knew she cheated on him and I'd imagine Howard did as well. I think she really didn't know who the father was until she gave birth to the baby. She counted back from there to figure it out, in my opinion.

On another note, I think Anna was pregnant again at the time of her death. I think that's one of the things we'll find out next week when Perper gives the results.

About the settlement negotiations, if it's true, then I think the agreement will be pending results of the DNA test. Unlike you, I don't think Howard already knows Larry is the biological father of DannieLynn.

Posted at 1:32PM on Feb 27th 2007 by Christina

875. I guess that you may not remember that at the time HKS was told about Anna Nicloe's death, he was acquiring a new yact and getting things ready for an upcomming cruise sometime this month. How things changed for him. Now there's a possibility of him being involved in Anna's son's drug death by switching bottles of meds before entering Anna's hospital room. Also, what was to stop him from having drugs administered daily to Anna while she was under his watchful eye.
I don't trust his relationship with her and never have. I hope the truth about him comes out soon.

Posted at 4:56PM on Mar 6th 2007 by Sheila

876.

only time will tell who the bio dad is...ben thompson is definitely in the running....be very careful at judgements you make on people....you may say things sticking up for one but you just put your foot in your mouth....virgie is the bad one here..that we can all agree on...

Posted at 1:47PM on Feb 27th 2007 by operationfreedom07

877. The problem with Larry is that he flip-flops...he says HKS dragged her to the bahamas yet then he says she went there to get away from HKS and his constant meddling...If you change your story alot then chances are your a liar...

Posted at 1:52PM on Feb 27th 2007 by operationfreedom07

878. LittleMiss (responding to 781)...

I have no idea if you will even see this but I had logged off last night before this was posted so I thought I'd try to respond now.

Regarding the drug use: Yes, HKS MAY have not done enough to get ANS off drugs. Of course, we don't know what really went on between them but it seems pretty evident that she had a bad drug habit and he was with her while she did. You write "it seems plausible that HKS acted with both depravity and indifference toward ANS, in that it appears as though he not only encouraged her drug use, but helped her to obtain said drugs." It seems plausible to you and it appears? How are you deciding? From the hospital incident? Larry was there too. That's what I don't get ....how all the hysterical people on this blog can draw such a distinction between the two of them. Is all the name calling and the murder accusations due to the fact that HKS handed her the drugs and LB piped up and asked her not to? Even if that is the concept...how can you lay that at HKS's door when LB says himself he had a two year relationship with her and did nothing but ask her to stop? HE DID NOTHING. Not only that....he went ahead and got her pregnant (her motives in this are irrelevant....this is about vilifying HKS and glorifying LB). Both HKS and LB are either guilty or innocent in this. You cannot have it both ways. And, for the record, I understand from the friends and families of drug addicts that there is pretty much nothing or very little you can do about it.

Regarding the photography....it's the same story. You (and by you I also mean the furious mob after HKS) take the time to explain the relationship of LB and ANS. And what you finally is explain is a man who is living exclusively off of ANS. It may have been at her request, etc. It doesn't matter. What matters is all the crazies who condemn, in the most fanatical term, HKS for "living off of ANS" but say nothing about LB. Again.....it's either OK to have this relationship or not....but both are innocent or guilty. And as to the distinction between lawyers and photographers....forget it. The attorney client relationship is a professional concept. It's not a distinction that these people are relying on....HKS is a "mooch" and every other vile name under the sun and LB is a saint. It's nonsensical.

With regarding the paternity suit and the stress. I add that as additional evidence that LB is not the saint here and HKS the sinner. That is my point...that this witch hunt is preposterous. I agree that if DL is LB's baby, he has the right to be involved with her. However, I don't think he should have been surprised by ANS's behavior (going off to Bahamas, etc...) or that he has any right to be self righteous about it. He is a grown man who continued in a rocky relationship with a seemingly upredictable woman. He knew exactly what he was getting himself into and if problems rather than a white picket fence were the result, he can hardly be surprised. Be that as it may, he still has a right to his baby. Of course. BUT, if he is claiming to be the total good guy in this and that he had no interest in fame, then why did he go public so soon? Again, it's just more proof that there is no one who is blameless in all of this.

With regard to 3., you are just wrong about that. I don't know what else to say about it. Attorneys and clients become romantically involved sometimes. It's not that unusual. You have all these "pundits" on TV trying to say that he should have bowed out right away but that's just not realistic. Both relationships may continue as long as disclosures are made and depending on the circumstances. If anyone out there thinks that lawyers don't help their friends and family with legal matters, I submit that you don't know any lawyers (or they're holding out on you ).

I've just reread your last paragraph and there all I can say is I don't agree. If that distinction....which you have very little proof of but are just assuming.....means to you that HKS is a money grubbing exploiter horrible kidnapper and the others in ANS's life are A OK, I feel that is unreasonable.

That's it....I'm afraid I don't think I could change any of the minds of people who really seem to be out to get HKS. Certain people need to paint this situation as someone's fault with simple good guys and bad guys (and that's the mildest way to characterize the witch hunt going on).

Life, and especially not ANS's life, is just not that way.

Posted at 4:20PM on Feb 27th 2007 by Rocky B.

879. OMG! I am no longer a Virgie supporter!

I was just watching Court TV and that lawyer of
Virgies that passed out.Now he is saying that Virgie wants custody of
Dannielynn and is using the fact that "the Bahamas look at woman
(mothers) as being the people best to take care of a child" That men
that aren't married to the woman he has a child with, has no
standing.

It seems as if Virgie HAS turned against LB and is actually
using the fact that Dannielynn is in the Bahamas as a way to get
custody.To think that LB was trying to be supportive to her.This is
DISGRACEFUL!!!!!!

Posted at 6:04PM on Feb 27th 2007 by Mo

880. This whole mess made me and my husband visit the attorney today to lay out specifically what we wanted done after our death. I was also not raised or was estranged from my parents and they at one time attempted to run my life at age 14 and again at 19. There is NO way I would want either of them making any decisions for me in my adult life. It is all about money - the mother does not care about her daughter or she would let her be buried next to her son. If she wanted to fight for the body, then do it later and fight to have both Anna and her son's body moved back to the USA. There is obviously a reason why Anna made her wishes made - to get away and stay away from her hateful, uncaring mother. Howard has been beside her side for 14-15 years and was in love with her. Now, the money issue - they all used her and she used people also. But, HE is the one that loved her, not the men she slept with, nor the others that only used her. And get off Howard trying to drug her. Drug addicts will get their drugs somehow, somewhere - he may have been an enabler, but she was probably alive longer with him at her side watching her every minute. Get off of his back and the white trash mother needs to go back to texas. And, oh yes, Larry, go find you someone else to live off of.

Posted at 6:40PM on Feb 27th 2007 by Ruby McBride

881. Response to 872 - Little Miss. I agree with you totally. The mother was out of her daughters life, not only by her own accord but that is because Anna wanted it that way! Has anyone talked to the sibelings about what went on in that home when Anna was there? She just looks sleezy. I feel sorry for Anna and the life she led was obviously a part of how she was raised and her need to be loved by someone. Everyone knew Anna was taking drugs - the producer and other actors of her reality show, ALL of her friends, her family, etc. Drug addicts cannot be cured without their wanting to be cured. They are always addicts, never "cured", but she needed some intense therapy. Howard stayed because he loved her - but it was obvious he could not force her into therapy. And there are lots of rumors about pills here and there. They are all out to get Howad. Perhaps he has other motives, but, doesnt' everyone that has had any contact with her?

Posted at 10:37AM on Feb 28th 2007 by Ruby McBride

882. # 822 was posted BY MISTAKE. SORRY EVERYONE

Posted at 9:27AM on Feb 28th 2007 by Team Howard

883. 882. # 228 -- get your facts straight already. Why do you chose to ignore the facts? It was absolutely NOT HKS's idea to move to the Bahamas. Take a look at Ford Shelley's sworn testimony. That guy is a creep and hates HKS and believe me, would not do anything to help HKS. When he told the story about ANS's stay at Myrtle Beach with him, he said it was HIS idea to move to the Bahamas.

Posted at 9:24AM on Feb 28th 2007 by Team Howard

They asked Shelley where they could go to AVOID the law and the paternity suit, that is why Daniel is buried in the Bahamas. ANS couldn't go back to California for fear that she would be served with the paternity siut.

Posted at 9:30AM on Feb 28th 2007 by HKS is a Squatter

884. Re-post:

Did Anna Nicole have any money? I know she has spent many years going back and forth to court against the Marshal family but has she ever collected a dime? I seriously doubt she had any money by the time of her death.

She didn't pay for the home she occupied in the Bahamas. She didn't pay for the two Bahamian cemetary plots. She was a stripper when she "married" Marshal so obviously her Playboy and Guess jeans money was gone. How much could she have possibly made from her reality show, guest appearances, or TrimSpa? Her life was consumed by extravagance and excess.

Someone ought to start investigating HKS. I don't trust that snake. His hands are as bloody as MacBeth's. It appears he wanted to eliminate everyone from ANS's inner circle so that he could get all the money. Was the baby next on his hit list?

LB should get the paternity results, take his child, and run. He should consider leaving the country and living under a pseudonym because I think too many crazies might be after them. Give that baby a normal life. Feed her until her tummy is full. Love her like there is no tomorrow.

Posted at 10:37AM on Feb 28th 2007 by pk

885. I think Howard is doing just what Anna wanted. Virgie and Larry are so money hunger that they don't care who gets hurt. It's already been three weeks since Anna's death and she can't even get a decent burial next to her son Daniel, Virgie you wasn't much of a mother to her in life or even in death your a very sad person and as for Larry look at all those horriable e-mails you sent to Anna and you say you loved her & she was the love of your life honey that was not and is not love it's called greed. Howard you keep on fighting for Anna and Dannilynn

Posted at 3:52PM on Feb 28th 2007 by lynne

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