NYC judge OKs $60M lawsuit against book author who claimed Anna Nicole Smith’s lawyer was pimp

NY lawsuit v. Anna Nicole Smith book’s author OK’d

NEW YORK — A New York City judge says a jury can decide whether the author of a best-selling book about the death of Playboy playmate Anna Nicole Smith defamed her lawyer by calling him a pimp.

Federal Judge Denny Chin found plenty of reasons Wednesday to let the jury hear a $60 million libel lawsuit brought by lawyer Howard K. Stern against “Blonde Ambition” author Rita Cosby.

The judge says the veteran television news anchor’s book contains allegations that may be too outlandish to be true, such as claims the lawyer had sex with one of Smith’s former boyfriends and acted as her pimp.

Cosby lawyer Elizabeth A. McNamara says she’s confident a jury will dismiss many parts of the case after hearing the evidence.

Smith was found unconscious in a Florida hotel room in 2007 and was declared dead of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. She was 39.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City judge says a jury can decide whether the author of a best-selling book about the death of Playboy playmate Anna Nicole Smith defamed her lawyer by calling him a pimp.

Federal Judge Denny Chin found plenty of reasons Wednesday to let the jury hear the facts behind a $60 million libel lawsuit brought by lawyer Howard K. Stern against “Blonde Ambition” author Rita Cosby.

The judge says the veteran television news anchor’s book contains allegations that may be too explosive to be true, such as claims the lawyer had sex with one of Smith’s former boyfriends and acted as her pimp.

Smith was found unconscious in a Florida hotel room in 2007 and was declared dead of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. She was 39.

A lawyer for Cosby hasn’t returned a telephone message seeking comment.