Courtney: I'm Innocent

Courtney Love yesterday (12NOV03) pleaded innocent to two counts of felony drug possession and called the charges "retarded".

The singer and actress appeared at the Beverly Hills Municipal Court to defend herself against charges stemming from an incident last month (OCT03), when she was arrested apparently trying to break into ex-love JIM BARBER's home. Hours after she was released, Los Angeles police and paramedics were called to her home and took her to hospital for a suspected drug overdose.

The case against her states she illegally possessed the painkillers hydrocodone and oxycodone, which can be prescribed legally.

The former Hole frontwoman, 39, appeared at the court date carrying her dog and a bouquet of flowers, and gave reporters a bizarre interview before she entered.

She insisted, "I didn't even break a law. I didn't even shoplift," adding, "Don't tell, It's a big secret I used to do drugs."

Love is well known for her previous problems with heroin, and her late husband Kurt Cobain, who committed suicide in 1994, also had drug problems.

During the trial Love complained to her lawyer WILLIAM GENGEO the possible court dates conflicted with a trip to London, a video shoot and the ACADEMY AWARDS.

She even asked, "What is it we're continuing? Do I have to live in this weird hell?"

As a consequence of her arrest, Courtney has lost custody of her daughter FRANCES BEAN to Kurt's mother WENDY.