Emotional Day For Anna Nicole Smith

H O U S T O N, Oct. 2, 2000 -- 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.

Marshall lavished her with jewels, cars and houses andbegan peppering her with marriage proposals that Smith resistedfor two years, Cunningham said.

“They will say she is a gold digger, but gold diggers don’twait,” he said.

In the end, Smith, who was Playboy Playmate of the Year in1993, married Marshall in a secret ceremony on June 27, 1994,in Houston.

Lifesaving Tale Brings Tears

Pierce Marshall, 61, so opposed their matrimony that heposted armed guards in his father’s bedroom to make sure Smithnever stayed more than 30 minutes, Cunningham said.

Smith, a blonde bombshell from Mexia, Texas, wept hardestwhen Cunningham recounted the story of how in January 1995 shesaved Marshall’s life with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation when hechoked on chicken soup as she spoon-fed him.

Smith, who is not expected to testify until late October,told a Houston television station last week, “No one ever tookcare of me in my whole life, and this man did and I loved himfor that.”

Howard Marshall III, 63, is suing his brother inconjunction with Smith on grounds that he was excluded from thewill after Pierce lied to his father during a 1980 businessdispute.