It occupies but a single line in box No. 5 of a tax document regarding Brooke Astor’s estate, and so small one might have to squint to see it. But the message is glaring: “Date of death: 2/7/2006.”
But it was not until a year and a half later that Mrs. Astor died, at age 105, and that discrepancy was a focus of testimony on Thursday in the trial of her son, Anthony D. Marshall, 85, in State Supreme Court in Manhattan.
He is accused of fooling Mrs. Astor, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, into changing her will so that he could tap into millions of dollars that she intended to leave for charity.
G. Warren Whitaker, a trusts and estates lawyer who prepared the tax document, said that one reason he began preparing to probate Mrs. Astor’s will, something that does not happen until a person dies, was that Francis X. Morrissey Jr., another estate lawyer, regularly told him “that her death might be imminent.”
More than three years before Mrs. Astor’s death, Mr. Whitaker, along with Mr. Marshall and Mr. Morrissey, was preparing how to handle her will and estate.
In addition to Anthony Marshall, Mr. Morrissey is also on trial, on fraud and forgery charges.
Full Article and Source:
On Sample Tax Form, Mrs. Astor Died Early
But it was not until a year and a half later that Mrs. Astor died, at age 105, and that discrepancy was a focus of testimony on Thursday in the trial of her son, Anthony D. Marshall, 85, in State Supreme Court in Manhattan.
He is accused of fooling Mrs. Astor, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, into changing her will so that he could tap into millions of dollars that she intended to leave for charity.
G. Warren Whitaker, a trusts and estates lawyer who prepared the tax document, said that one reason he began preparing to probate Mrs. Astor’s will, something that does not happen until a person dies, was that Francis X. Morrissey Jr., another estate lawyer, regularly told him “that her death might be imminent.”
More than three years before Mrs. Astor’s death, Mr. Whitaker, along with Mr. Marshall and Mr. Morrissey, was preparing how to handle her will and estate.
In addition to Anthony Marshall, Mr. Morrissey is also on trial, on fraud and forgery charges.
Full Article and Source:
On Sample Tax Form, Mrs. Astor Died Early
Ah, they were counting on her to die then, weren't they?
ReplyDeleteVultures. They just couldn't wait for Brooke Astor to die.
ReplyDeleteYes, Anonomyous 2, I'm with you. I bet they could hardly wait -- planned and planned for the day they'd have control of her fortune.
ReplyDeleteSick.
I bet they were rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of Brooke Astor's supposed impending death.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Anonymous 2, they are vultures.
Morrissey left his fingerprints.
ReplyDeleteFirst, let's kill all the lawyers!