Defense lawyers for Brooke Astor’s son today painted her as a lucid, dance-happy social animal during her final years — proof that she might have had enough left in her to make key money decisions and change her will.
The defense pecked away at neurologist, Dr. Norman Relkin, who gave damaging testimony against Astor’s son Anthony Marshall yesterday, telling jurors about Astor’s sad, years-long decline into dementia.
Under cross-examination by defense lawyer Kenneth Warner, Relkin admitted that Astor showed signs of smarts in her frequent, self-critical complaints that she was “going crazy.”
“It’s a form of insight, yes,” Relkin said.
Marshall, 85, is charged with taking advantage of his mom’s failing mental health and having millions of dollars allegedly diverted to him in her will.
The defense also had Relkin refer to his notes, shown on an overheard projector to Manhattan Supreme Court jurors, about an Oct. 9, 2002 exam of Astor: “Sciatica clear cut exasperation by standing on feet [plus] dancing last night.”
Relkin revealed yesterday that Astor couldn’t name President Bush during a Sept. 13, 2001 exam, or able to recall the name of the World Trade Center.