Brooke Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, is finally getting his long-awaited day in court to battle charges that he swindled millions from his beloved philanthropist mother.
Jury selection is slated to begin today for Marshall and the lawyer with whom he is accused of conspiring to loot Astor’s bank accounts while she was suffering from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.
Marshall, who recently had heart surgery and will turn 85 during the trial, is hoping to clear his name.
But first, hundreds of potential jurors will have to wade through a 10-plus-page questionnaire to reveal what they know about the infamous case.
It was likely to take up to two weeks to have a full panel seated for what was expected be a two-month-long trial, which will be rich with boldface names and palace intrigue and focus a spotlight on Astor’s painful final years.
Astor died in August 2007 at age 105.