( CNN ) -- A lawyer for Howard K. Stern says the longtime partner of late sex symbol Anna Nicole Smith will fight conspiracy charges announced Thursday . Krista Barth , an attorney for Howard K. Stern , says it 's not appropriate to talk publicly about details of the case . Stern was Smith 's `` chief enabler , '' obtaining a variety of prescription drugs to keep the former Playboy model sedated and compliant , California Attorney General Jerry Brown said in announcing the charges against Stern and two doctors . Lisa Bloom of In Session and guest host Joy Behar questioned Stern 's attorney Krista Barth Friday night on CNN 's `` Larry King Live . '' BEHAR : Did Howard see this all coming ? BARTH : No , we did not see this coming . We knew that there was obviously the raid earlier on Dr. [ Sandeep ] Kapoor 's office . But this was something that we honestly never expected . Watch part of the discussion » . BEHAR : Well , they are very serious charges . There are so many counts here , eight felonies . Will he plead not guilty ? What 's he going to do ? BARTH : Well , he will plead not guilty because he is not guilty . BEHAR : Now , the attorney general , Jerry Brown , called Stern `` the principal enabler '' in what he says was a conspiracy among three individuals . Do you have a reaction to that ? BARTH : I think it 's reminiscent of what happened at Duke . I do n't think that this was something that should have been stated in a public forum . I think it 's contrary to the rules of professional conduct regarding trial publicity . And you have to wonder why such a statement was made . But to say that something like that would not bias my client is beyond me . I ca n't even be -- I ca n't even venture a guess . BLOOM : Krista , the difference , though , between the Duke case and this case is that we know that she had at least 11 different medications in her system , the very same medications that are in this criminal complaint . We know that she was taking these drugs for years . We saw her zoned out of her mind with the slurred speech on her reality show and every awards show . So it was pretty common knowledge that Anna Nicole was an addict . And I think your client has even admitted that . There 's a substantial amount of evidence here . It does n't mean your client is guilty . But I think it 's enough to raise eyebrows so that ever since she 's died , people have wondered : How did she get all of those medications ? How was it possible that doctors were giving her all that stuff ? BARTH : The most basic tenet of our judicial system is that Mr. Stern is presumed innocent . ... And the concern that I have is that the public nature of the statements by the attorney general in the state of California is a bit troubling . And when I make the analogy to the Duke case , I think you 're missing the point , in that that was done during an election campaign . There are sometimes political motivations for things that are done . You have to ask why is this case important to so many when what Attorney General Brown is talking about is a pervasive , over-prescription of prescription drugs . BEHAR : How much responsibility do the tabloids have in this case ? I mean , it really was all over the place . BLOOM : I think that 's going to be part of the defense , that they got prescriptions under false names because the tabloids were after her and they wanted every detail and she wanted some privacy . And as a celebrity , she may be entitled to that . I think that may be a valid defense as to why they were under false names . But there 's no defense that I can see why thousands of pills . BEHAR : Krista , where did she get thousands of pills ? BARTH : Well , you know what ? Discussing the details of this is not appropriate . I think that the most important thing to focus on here is the way that our judicial system is supposed to work . I mean how often does that happen , that we 're talking about a situation , you are not supposed to say , and I 'm quoting here , something that you know reasonably should , or reasonably should know will have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing an adjudicative proceeding in this matter ?
California attorney general 's actions are prejudicial , Brown says . Brown saying too much about Anna Nicole Smith case , Krista Barth says . Barth is attorney for Smith 's ex - partner , Howard K. A . Stern , and others charged with conspiring to supply Smith with drugs .