Astor's Son Gave Wife, Lawyer Control of Estate: Witness

The transaction was not done under the approval of Brooke Astor, the witness said

Brooke Astor’s son received a large portion of her multimillion-dollar estate in the socialite's revised will -- but  Anthony Marshall granted his wife and lawyer a piece of it as well,  a witness testified today.

The transaction was not done under the approval of Brooke Astor, Attorney Warren G. Whitaker told the court Wednesday.  However it was processed a few days after the declaration of Marshall as her only executor, he said.

Whitaker said Marshall signed a document just days later that made his 63-year-old wife Charlene and lawyer Francis Morrissey co-executors.

Prosecutors said Marshall wanted to feed money to his wife, Charlene, though it was no secret Astor did not like her.

Astor, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, passed away in 2007 at the age of 105. 

Her son and lawyer are on trial for charges of looting her estate.

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