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Witness: Astor <i>Hated</i> Daughter-In-Law
By
Jen Chung
Published May 4, 2009
Modified May 4, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 4, 2009
Modified May 4, 2009
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The word that rhymes with rich has made its way into the trial of Brooke Astor's son. Anthony Marshall, the legendary philanthropist's only son, is accused of forging his mother's signature on a 2004 codicil to her will, giving him outright control of $60 million, an amount Astor had earlier intended for charities. Prosecutors continued to argue that Astor, who died in 2007 at age 105, would never have done that if she were of sound mind, given her distaste for Marshall's third wife, Charlene, who left her minister husband for Marshall. Astor's ear doctor Kevin O'Flaherty testified today, recalling a conversation he had with Astor in 2000, "She was speaking about the (seating) arrangements for dinner...[She said] Mr. Marshall and his wife were going to be there because he liked socializing with her friends. She mentioned she'd rather have Boysie and Girlsie, her dogs, there than her son and that b-i-t-c-h." O'Flaherty, apparently too much of gentleman to say the word, confirmed that Astor actually uttered it. He also said that Astor's mental facilities were "failing" in 2004; prosecutors contend Astor's decline began in 1995.
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Anthony Marshall
bitch
Brooke Astor
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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