Anna Nicole Smith judge urges new probe

Miami — The flamboyant judge brought to fame in the fight over Anna Nicole Smith’s remains says he believes someone is guilty of manslaughter in the starlet’s death and second-guesses his own decision over where she is buried in a book to be released today.

Larry Seidlin, the former Fort Lauderdale judge, is harshly critical of Smith’s lawyer-turned-companion Howard K. Stern, and of the police investigations into the deaths of the Playboy Playmate and her son. But as provocatively titled as “The Killing of Anna Nicole Smith” is, Seidlin offers no evidence either death was anything more than the accidental drug overdoses they were deemed.

“I think enablers should be punished,” Seidlin writes, then refers directly to Stern. “How about keeping her off drugs while she was alive? He was with her every day; how about saying no …”

Then, the judge says, “we won’t have all this celebrity blood on our hands.”

Seidlin presided over the six-day televised hearing into the fate of Smith’s body, shortly after her February 2007 death. His jurisdiction was limited to control of Smith’s body; Florida never charged anyone in connection with her death.

Lil Wayne enters plea deal in Arizona case

Yuma, Ariz. — Rapper Lil Wayne could avoid jail time in Arizona on drug and weapon charges after entering a plea agreement with Yuma County prosecutors.

During a change of plea hearing Friday in which he appeared via video from a New York jail, the 27-year-old Grammy winner pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a dangerous drug.

The charge stems from an incident in January 2008 in which his tour bus was stopped at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Dateland, 78 miles east of Yuma. Authorities say they found cocaine, Ecstasy and a handgun on the tour bus.

Prosecutors say the rapper, whose real name is Dwayne Carter, is scheduled to be sentenced June 30 and could receive 36 months of probation. He’s currently serving an eight-month jail term in New York after pleading guilty last October to attempted criminal possession of a weapon.

Jackson brother has faith in justice system

Los Angeles — Michael Jackson’s youngest brother said Monday that his family is disappointed in a recent ruling allowing a doctor charged in the pop singer’s death to keep his medical license, but they have faith in the judicial process.

Randy Jackson’s written statement came a week after a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled he didn’t have the authority to suspend the license of Dr. Conrad Murray. Murray faces an involuntary manslaughter charge in Jackson’s death nearly a year ago. The cardiologist has pleaded not guilty.

Angelou gets her dot on Jackson portrait

Winston-Salem, N.C. — Poet Maya Angelou is inviting fans of Michael Jackson to be represented in a pointillism portrait of the late singer, who died almost a year ago.

Angelou met Monday at her home in Winston-Salem, N.C., with artist David Ilan, who is putting together the tribute. Ilan placed a dot representing Angelou in the heart area on the portrait.

Ilan says he hopes 1 million people will each ask through a website to be represented by one of the free dots. So far, the portrait has 250,000 dots, representing fans in 180 countries. Pointillism is an art technique in which small dots are used to form an image.

Angelou also read the poem she wrote for Jackson’s funeral, titled “We Had Him.” Queen Latifah read the poem at the funeral.

To sign up for a dot, visit michaeljacksontributeportrait.com

‘American Idol’ lowers age eligibility

Los Angeles — The next “American Idol” may not be able to drive a car.

Fox said in a statement Monday that the age eligibility to audition for the upcoming 10th season of the singing competition would be lowered from 16 to 15 years old. The maximum age to audition remains 28.

“American Idol” executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz said in a statement that “a lot of young, talented people are now seeking careers and representation before they turn 16.”

Auditions for the next season will begin July 17 in Nashville, Tenn. Other audition cities include Milwaukee, New Orleans, San Francisco, East Rutherford, N.J., and Austin, Texas.

Slipknot bassist died of morphine overdose

Des Moines, Iowa — Autopsy results show the bassist for heavy metal band Slipknot died of an accidental overdose of morphine and fentanyl, a synthetic morphine substitute, police said Monday.

Paul Gray, 38, was found dead in a suburban Des Moines hotel room on May 25. A hotel worker told a 911 dispatcher that a hypodermic needle was found near Gray’s body and that pills also were found in the room.

The autopsy shows he died of an overdose, Urbandale police said in a news release. They also said the autopsy revealed signs of significant heart disease.