Witness recants statements, says he didn’t see Anna Nicole’s boyfriend force drugs on her

Witness recants statements in Anna Nicole case

LOS ANGELES — A witness in the Anna Nicole Smith drug conspiracy trial has recanted statements critical of the former model’s lawyer-boyfriend Howard K. Stern, a defendant in the case.

Ford Shelley testified Friday in Los Angeles that he never saw Smith abuse drugs, never saw Stern force medication on her, and believes Stern shouldn’t be on trial.

Shelley had previously suggested to investigators that Stern overmedicated Smith.

Shelley, a resident of South Carolina whose family became involved with Smith, described co-defendant Dr. Khristine Eroshevich as a good woman who was trying to help Smith.

Stern, Eroshevich and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor have pleaded not guilty to providing Smith with excessive drugs and other charges.

Smith died of a drug overdose in 2007. The defendants are not charged in her death.