The US Supreme Court ruled against Anna Nicole Smith’s heirs, bringing an end to their $88-million claim to the estate of the blonde bombshell’s former husband J. Howard Marshall. Smith married Marshall, a Texas oil baron, when he was 89-years-old, and the billionaire died in 1995 without including the now-deceased former Playboy Playmate in his will.
The legal case began more than 15 years ago and many of the story’s principal protagonists have died.
In a five-to-four decision, the court ruled in favour of Marshall’s descendants and now the Marshall estate does not have to give one cent to Smith’s heirs.
The battle began in 1995 when the oil magnet died and Smith discovered that her late husband had left his entire fortune, estimated at $1.6 billion, to his son Pierce Marshall, despite the fact that, according to Smith, J. Howard Marshall had promised to leave her $300 million.
—AFP