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Astor Trial Jurors Endure Threats, Crying
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 7, 2009
Modified Oct 7, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 7, 2009
Modified Oct 7, 2009
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Given that these jurors have had to sit through five months of testimony in the trial involving Brooke Astor's fortune, is it any wonder that nerves are seriously frayed? On Monday, the jury sent the judge a note, "Due to heated argument, a juror feels personally threatened by comments made by another juror... With regards to her personal safety, she wishes to be dismissed anonymously," and then later that day, one juror was seen "sobbing."
Yes, the Post reported, "One female juror, a lawyer employed by the Bloomberg news service, was sobbing in the jury box as the judge urged the panel to resume deliberations with a mind toward civility and respectfulness" (the NY Times added that she "was pallid, with wet and puffy eyes. Her cheeks and nose were red. A male juror sitting next to her handed her a red handkerchief that she used to wipe her eyes").
The complicated case has the Manhattan DA's office accusing Astor's son Anthony Marshall of essentially conspiring to loot his mother's $200 million estate, with the help with lawyer Francis Morrissey. The trial started out as an exciting glimpse into high society but then became weeks and weeks of prosecution witnesses—the Times reports, "If Justice Bartley were to dismiss the juror, he would be forced to call a mistrial, rendering more than 19 weeks of testimony and arguments pointless."
Of course, Marshall's defense already asked for a mistrial, citing, "If a conscientious member of a jury is so intimidated by the conduct of her peers in the jury room that the she fears for her own physical safety, it is asking too much for that juror to remain true to her oath to decide the case based on her honestly held views."
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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