Anna Nicole Smith first became famous as the 1993 Playboy Playmate of the Year. She later married octogenarian billionaire J. Howard Marshall, 63 years her senior. When he died without naming her in his will, Smith sued to inherit, alleging Marshall had promised her half his fortune, or $800 million. From then on her life was lived out in the tabloids as the public followed her court cases, wildly fluctuating weight, and all-too-obvious substance abuse. Marshall’s family fought her claim. In a complex series of legal twists and turns, the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which in May 2006 affirmed Smith’s right to sue.  

A little over six months later, Smith died of an overdose of prescription drugs, shortly after her 21-year-old son Daniel died under similarly mysterious circumstances. Only Smith’s infant daughter survives. The televised inquest into Smith’s death enthralled millions.  

In The Killing of Anna Nicole Smith, his first book, retired judge Larry Seidlin unveils the truth behind one of the most-watched courtroom proceedings in television history. Based on eyewitness accounts, trial transcripts, and confidential files, his three-year, in-depth investigation reveals what really happened to Anna Nicole Smith.