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The Astor Trial So Far: High Society, Low Class

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 26, 2009 10:56 PM CDT

(Newser) – Meryl Gordon has a plum seat at the so-called Brooke Astor trial, in which her son, Anthony Marshall, stands accused of thievery. Complete with the crème de la crème of New York society recounting terrible things and scathing Astorisms, Gordon writes in Vanity Fair, it’s a “story about money that everyone could understand, that did not involve credit-default swaps or derivatives: a son accused of stealing from his mother.” And the press is all over it.

“This is being treated like a gangland trial in the newspapers,” says Annette de la Renta, who cared for Astor in her final days after Marshall was dismissed. And it sort of is: forged wills, rebellious children who shockingly didn’t know there was any money in it for them, and the deterioration of a beloved matron. Which makes it sort of human: “This is not a society trial,” says de la Renta. “If it could happen to Brooke Astor, it could happen to anyone.” Stay tuned.

[Images (5)]

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Anthony Marshall and his wife Charlene Marshall in Manhattan Supreme Court. (AP Photo)

Brooke Astor in 1997. (AP Photo)

Author Meryl Gordon penned "Mrs. Astor Regrets." (AP Photo)

Annette de la Renta tended to Brooke Astor in her final days. (AP Photo)

Anthony D. Marshall is escorted by officers in to Manhattan state supreme court in 2007. (AP Photo)

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Whatever the verdict of the jury, a strong case can be made that Tony Marshall has been punished for his avarice and callousness toward his mother merely by the ordeal of the trial. - Meryl Gordon

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 5 comments

AdaptAndOvercome

Aug 27, 2009 11:16 AM CDT

Greed...it'll get you everytime.

brawne

Aug 27, 2009 5:59 AM CDT

Hey youngblood. That is so weird. I can't believe he was only sixty-eight. I always thought he was ancient.

youngblood

Aug 27, 2009 4:51 AM CDT

Vincent Astor, Brooke Astor's 3rd husband was only 68 when he died and Brooke who was born in 1902 was 57 years old at the time of his death, I think by that time they have been married for 7 years. It was not that big of an age difference and Mr. Astor getting married to her at 61 years old and Brooke at 50, he was not that old that he was being taken advantage of by Brooke.

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Vanity Fair (Source Grid »)

will • Brooke Astor • Anthony Marshall • grand larceny • forgery • criminal trial • Annette de la Renta • New York Supreme Court • Meryl Gordon • codicil

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