Anthony Marshall and the attorney he conspired with, Francis Morrissey, each received jail sentences earlier this week for 1 to 3 years. They had been convicted of looting Brooke Astor, Marshall’s mother, out of $60 million by convincing her to change her will when she was mentally unable to comprehend it due to Alzheimer’s disease, along with related crimes.
Marshall’s attorneys had pled for leniency, citing his advanced age, poor health and doctors’ reports saying any jail time would equate to a death sentence for him. The Probate Lawyer Blog covered the defense lawyer’s efforts in this recent article.
The judge wouldn’t hear of it. He noted how sad it was that a life of extreme abundance led to such sadness, particularly when Marshall’s own son took the stand and “tried very, very hard to destroy” Marshall.
The judge did consider that Mrs. Astor loved her son, the judge felt, along with other mitigating factors, so he did not impose the 4 1/2 years that the prosecutors requested. In