ANNA NICOLE SMITH - STERN WINS JUDGE'S BACKING TO FIGHT COSBY ALLEGATIONS

STERN WINS JUDGE'S BACKING TO FIGHT COSBY ALLEGATIONS

LATEST: ANNA NICOLE SMITH's longtime companion HOWARD K. STERN has been granted permission to pursue allegations of witness tampering in his legal battle against American journalist-turned-author RITA COSBY. Stern filed a $60 million (GBP30 million) lawsuit against Cosby in October (07) over "false allegations" in her new tome Blonde Ambition: The Untold Story Behind Anna Nicole Smith's Death. The book claims Stern and Larry Birkhead - the father of Smith's daughter Dannielynn - were lovers who plotted to take control of the late star's estate. Cosby, a former correspondent for MSNBC, claims there is a sex tape and two nannies as witness to prove the pair were lovers. But Stern claims Cosby "sought to tamper with two witnesses by offering to pay them thousands of dollars for their testimony" - and the lawyer won a New York judge's backing on Tuesday (06Nov07) to pursue the allegations. The federal judge ruled that Stern has "presented substantial - indeed troubling - evidence that Cosby has sought to improperly influence witnesses..." But Cosby remains defiant over her book's claims, and is adamant the truth will prevail. In a statement to website TMZ.com, Cosby says, "I am pleased that the Court will get to the bottom of these unfounded allegations. I trust that when all the facts come out that a very different picture will be shown." Smith died earlier this year (07) following an accidental overdose.