Courtney Love lost custody of her daughter after the incident

The widow of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain has been charged with possessing painkillers hydrocodone and oxycodone without prescription.

The charges are from an incident early this month when Love, 39, allegedly tried to break into an LA home.

It is not known if Love will face a jail term if convicted. Both drugs are legal if obtained through prescription.

"If she had prescriptions, we would not be charging illegal possession," a district attorney's spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

Love could be offered time on a drugs diversion scheme instead of serving time in prison.

After her arrest on 3 October, Love was treated for the suspected painkiller overdose. She was released on bail of $20,000 (�12,500) after surrendering to Beverly Hills police.

The singer lost custody of her 11-year-old daughter, Frances Bean, after the incident.

Love, who recorded several albums with the band Hole in the 1990s, is reportedly about to sign a new record deal after a protracted legal battle with Universal Records. Her last album was Hole's Celebrity Skin, which was released in 1998.

In recent years she has carved out a successful Hollywood career, appearing in films such as The People Vs Larry Flynt and Man on the Moon.