Entering a Beverly Hills courtroom carrying a bouquet of roses, Courtney Love pleaded not guilty to two counts of felony drug possession on Wednesday.

Love was ordered to return to court on December 11th for a preliminary hearing. Judge Elden Fox required her to visit the Santa Monica probation department before her next court date.

"They will address the issues as to your suitability and eligibility for diversion," Fox said to Love. If the singer qualifies for diversion she will return to court and enter a guilty plea. For two years, she will participate in drug counseling as required by state statutes and be forced to pay administrative court fees for the case. "If you successfully complete that, your plea would be withdrawn and the case dismissed," the judge continued.

Outside the court, a scattered Love addressed reporters. "I didn't do anything," she said. "But he, poo-poo head ex-boyfriend, left a pill in my house that's not mine. But it's much better to just plead not guilty and just go to therapy, because I take therapy anyway. I go to therapy once a week."

The charges stem from Love's must-publicized October 3rd arrest, when police picked her up for smashing the windows at a Los Angeles residence. She was released and later rushed to the hospital for a suspected overdose. Her arraignment for being under the influence of a controlled substance is scheduled for Friday, though she is not required to appear in court.

In the aftermath of the incident, Love has maintained that she does not have a chemical dependency problem. "I want to make one thing clear right now," she said last week, "I do not take narcotics. I have taken prescription pills, and I went to rehab once. I take Xanax that is prescribed to me, but practically everybody does that nowadays. But I do not take street narcotics."

JOLIE LASH
(November 12, 2003)