Jurors in the never-ending Brooke Astor swindle trial heard key evidence of forgery yesterday, when a handwriting expert pointed to the name “Brooke Russell Astor” scrawled on a disputed 2004 document and declared that Astor did not write it.
The “r” and “o” in “Brooke” didn’t connect; the “ss” in “Russell were in cursive writing, and the “Astor” bore no indication of a trembling hand — all pointing to forgery, said Gus Lesnevich, a noted forensic document examiner.
“I have actually no doubt it’s not Brooke Astor’s signature,” Lesnevich told the Manhattan Supreme Court jury, now hearing its 15th week of prose cution testimony.
Charged with forgery is es tates lawyer Francis Morris sey, who prosecutors say conspired with Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, 85, to swindle the Alzheimer’s-af flicted philanthropist out of more than $60 million in be quests.