LAWFUEL – The Law Newswire – It took Howard K. Stern’s new, high profile lawyer L Lin Wood only a matter of days to get into action – a lawsuit against Anna Nicole Smith’s mother for defamation.
Stern filed the federal slander lawsuit against attorney John O’Quinn, who represents Smith’s estranged mother, Virgie Arthur, accusing him of suggesting to reporters that Stern was responsible for Smith’s death.
The suit alleges John O’Quinn, attorney for Virgie Arthur, defamed Stern in statements made on television after the actress’ death in February.
“The lawsuit focuses on Mr. O’Quinn’s recent appearances on a number of national television shows in which he has made public accusations of murder and other misconduct against Mr. Stern in connection with the Anna Nicole Smith case,” according to a statement released by Stern attorney L. Lin Wood of Atlanta, Georgia.
Wood specifically cited a February 21, 2007, interview from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for the Fox News show “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren.”
“As stated in the complaint filed today, Mr. O’Quinn’s accusations against Mr. Stern are false and Mr. Stern seeks to hold him accountable through the civil justice system.”
TMZ.com reported last week that Stern was on the verge of hooking up with Lin Wood, a defamation case specialist, and was gearing to go after some of the media outlets and reporters who were repeating the theory that Stern was a shady player in Smith’s death, accusing him of a variety of unflattering behavior.
In the Bahamas on Friday, attorneys in the custody case surrounding Smith’s 7-month-old daughter said the judge wants Larry Birkhead — declared Tuesday to be the child’s father — and Arthur to come up with a plan regarding access to the child.
