Judge to Seek Partial Verdict Today in Ongoing Trial Over Astor Estate Planning
Updated: Trying to help a struggling jury get to the finish line, the judge in high-profile New York criminal trial over Brooke Astor’s estate planning has said he will accept a partial verdict in the midst of deliberations, reports the City Room blog of the New York Times.
If, after 12 days of deliberations, the jury has reached a verdict on any of the 18 counts against the socialite’s son and one of her lawyers, “It is my inclination to take those verdicts, if there are any verdicts, today,” Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Kirke Bartley told lawyers for both sides today. However, if the jury is undecided on other counts, he will urge the jury to continue deliberating.
Bartley refused a defense request for a mistrial earlier this week, after a tearful juror who has been identified in news reports as a lawyer for Bloomberg News said she felt “personally threatened” during the deliberations.
The defendants are Astor’s 85-year-old son, Anthony Marshall, and attorney Francis Morrissey. They are accused of siphoning some $60 million from Astor’s estate by taking advantage of her failing mental abilities. She died in 2007 at age 105, leaving an estimated $192 million.
Since this post was written, the jury has reached a guilty verdict, as discussed in a subsequent ABAJournal.com post.
Additional coverage:
Bloomberg: “Astor Judge Plans to Ask Jury If It Has Any Verdict”
New York Daily News: “Brooke Astor fraud trial: Partial verdict expected Thursday in counts against Anthony Marshall, pal”
Updated at 2:43 p.m. to link to subsequent ABAJournal.com post about guilty verdict.
