Slow Pace of Astor Trial Has Lawyers Sniping and Jurors Napping
As the prosecution wraps up its evidence in the New York trial of the son of wealthy socialite Brooke Astor, jurors appear bored with the slow pace.
The trial is costing Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, $100,000 a week, his lawyer told the New York Times. Marshall is accused of taking advantage of his mother’s declining mental condition to benefit himself and another defendant, lawyer Francis X. Morrissey. Brooke Astor died in 2007 at the age of 105.
“Much like the woman at the center of it, the Astor trial has had a life longer than anyone could have reasonably expected,” the New York Times says. “After crawling through 72 witnesses during 17 weeks of testimony—longer than the whole trial was supposed to take—the prosecution is expected to wrap up its case on Tuesday, leaving lawyers to debate whether the avalanche of information has advanced the case or obscured it.”
Some jurors have napped during dull testimony, rolled their eyes during drawn-out questioning and munched on sunflower seeds to pass the time, the story says.
Critics say prosecutors are overtrying the case. The story also points to other reasons for the slow pace—extensive cross-examinations by the defense and an apparent reluctance by the judge overseeing the case to stop the squabbling among lawyers.
At one point last month when the jurors were out of the courtroom, irritated lawyers sparred over the pace of the proceedings. Defense lawyer John Cuti complained that the prosecution was taking too long to make a point.
Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann was quick to reply. “I didn’t realize you were my time-management consultant,” he said.
“You could use one,” Cuti shot back.
