Emotional Day For Anna Nicole Smith

H O U S T O N, Oct. 2 -- Former Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith, who is suing for half of her late 90-year-old husband’s billion-dollar estate, wept in opening arguments at the lawsuit today as her attorney told a Texas jury she wasnot a “gold digger” who took advantage of a sick, old man.

Smith, 32, repeatedly brushed tears from her eyes and puther face in her hands as attorney Tom Cunningham spoke of herlate husband J. Howard Marshall’s love for his young wife. Theymarried in June 1994 when she was 26 and he was 89 aftermeeting at a Houston topless bar where she was a dancer.

“Mr. Marshall called her ‘my precious package, my ladylove, the love of my life,’” he said. “He loved his wife andwanted to take care of her.”

Marshall, who made his fortune in the oil business, died inAugust 1995 at the age of 90. Smith and Marshall’s eldest son,Howard Marshall III, have been fighting ever since for a shareof the $1.6 billion estate, currently in the hands of youngerson Pierce Marshall.

Smith has said Marshall promised her half of his money tomarry, but Pierce Marshall said she was in none of the sixwills.

Last week, a Los Angeles bankruptcy judge presiding over afederal version of the Texas lawsuit said Smith, whose realname is Vickie Lynn Marshall, was entitled to $450 million. Theruling will be appealed, Pierce Marshall said.

A Search For Love?

His attorneys, who were to make their opening argumentsTuesday, have said that Smith was a gold digger who tookadvantage of a sick, old man.

But Cunningham said Smith brought comfort to Marshall at atime when he was depressed because his wife and mistress—thelatter also a topless dancer—had died and his sons werefighting over money.

“Mr. Marshall was adrift because his family was at war andhe had nobody to love,” he said.

The old man, who by this time was wheelchair-bound, begangoing to topless bars in search of consolation, and there, atRick’s Cabaret in 1991, he met Smith.