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**pKgGpUlF** · 11-27-2007, 02:32 AM

The Astor Estate Dispute: A Chronology

NY TIMES
November 26, 2007, 4:41 pm

The City Room

The dispute over the estate of Brooke Astor preceded her death on Aug. 13, at age 105.

The dispute appears likely to continue for some time to come, with the report today by Serge F. Kovaleski of The Times that Mrs. Astor’s son, Anthony D. Marshall, and one of her former lawyers, Francis X. Morrissey Jr., face criminal charges stemming from the stewardship of her financial affairs and the handling of her will.

A chronology of the dispute follows. Here are links to the documents at the heart of the dispute:

Last Will and Testament of Brooke Russell Astor, Jan. 30, 2002.
First Codicil, Dec. 18, 2003.
Second Codicil, Jan. 12, 2004.
Third Codicil, March 3, 2004.

July 2006: In a lawsuit, Mrs. Astor’s grandson Philip Marshall asks that his father — Anthony D. Marshall, Mrs. Astor’s only child — be removed as Mrs. Astor’s legal guardian and replaced by Annette de la Renta, a friend of Mrs. Astor’s, and by JPMorgan Chase Bank.

July 27, 2006: Anthony Marshall defends his care and treatment of his mother.

July 30, 2006: At his mother’s estate in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., Mr. Marshall denounces the accusations against him as “ludicrous distortions of the truth, and outright lies.”

Sept. 7, 2006: Court documents reveal that JPMorgan Chase is investigating whether Mr. Marshall improperly obtained about $14 million in cash, property and stocks from his aging mother while managing her finances.

Sept. 14, 2006: In new court filings, Mr. Marshall’s lawyers say that a series of changes to Mrs. Astor’s will that have recently come under scrutiny were made with her full consent, and protested suggestions from her legal guardians that signatures on some of the documents might have been forged.

Sept. 15, 2006: Francis X. Morrissey Jr., a lawyer with a controversial legal career who has figured prominently in the court battle over Brooke Astor’s care and finances defended himself for the first time, saying that he had a long friendship with her and that it was only natural that she would ask him to do estate work for her.

Oct. 13, 2006: To settle the dispute, Mr. Marshall agrees to pay more than $1.3 million, return valuable artwork and jewelry, and give up his role as steward of his mother’s financial and health affairs. Mr. Marshall and his wife, Charlene, will be required to relinquish their positions as co-executors of Mrs. Astor’s estate and to post millions of dollars in collateral in the form of a Maine vacation property to cover any potential claims against Mr. Marshall’s handling of his mother’s wealth. The 18-page settlement, approved by Justice John E. H. Stackhouse of State Supreme Court in Manhattan, stipulates that JPMorgan Chase and Mrs. de la Renta will serve as her permanent guardians.

Oct. 19, 2006: The Times reports on new concerns about whether someone forged Mrs. Astor’s signature on a series of changes to her will.

March 27, 2007: The Times reports that a 12-page inventory of Mrs. Astor’s assets and finances estimate her net worth to be nearly $131 million. The inventory was conducted by an accounting firm for the court-appointed permanent guardians of her property, JPMorgan Chase.

June 24, 2007: The Times reports details of Mrs. Astor’s will, signed in 2002, and the codicils attached to it, signed in 2003 and 2004. (See related blog post.)

Aug. 13, 2007: Mrs. Astor dies at age 105.

Aug. 22, 2007: Continuing the legal dispute, Mr. Marshall asks a judge to reject a request by Mrs. de la Renta and JPMorgan Chase to serve as administrators of her estate.

Oct. 18, 2007: The Times reports that settlement talks to help resolve the dispute over Mrs. Astor’s estate were halted in September at the request of the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which was conducting a criminal investigation and feared that its work could be compromised.

Today (Nov. 26, 2007): Mr. Marshall and Mr. Morrissey have been indicted on criminal charges stemming from their stewardship of Mrs. Astor’s financial affairs and the handling of her will, according to people who have been briefed on the situation.

11-27-2007, 02:32 AM	#28
pKgGpUlF Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 547 Senior Member	The Astor Estate Dispute: A Chronology NY TIMES November 26, 2007, 4:41 pm The City Room The dispute over the estate of Brooke Astor preceded her death on Aug. 13, at age 105. The dispute appears likely to continue for some time to come, with the report today by Serge F. Kovaleski of The Times that Mrs. Astor’s son, Anthony D. Marshall, and one of her former lawyers, Francis X. Morrissey Jr., face criminal charges stemming from the stewardship of her financial affairs and the handling of her will. A chronology of the dispute follows. Here are links to the documents at the heart of the dispute: Last Will and Testament of Brooke Russell Astor, Jan. 30, 2002. First Codicil, Dec. 18, 2003. Second Codicil, Jan. 12, 2004. Third Codicil, March 3, 2004. July 2006: In a lawsuit, Mrs. Astor’s grandson Philip Marshall asks that his father — Anthony D. Marshall, Mrs. Astor’s only child — be removed as Mrs. Astor’s legal guardian and replaced by Annette de la Renta, a friend of Mrs. Astor’s, and by JPMorgan Chase Bank. July 27, 2006: Anthony Marshall defends his care and treatment of his mother. July 30, 2006: At his mother’s estate in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., Mr. Marshall denounces the accusations against him as “ludicrous distortions of the truth, and outright lies.” Sept. 7, 2006: Court documents reveal that JPMorgan Chase is investigating whether Mr. Marshall improperly obtained about $14 million in cash, property and stocks from his aging mother while managing her finances. Sept. 14, 2006: In new court filings, Mr. Marshall’s lawyers say that a series of changes to Mrs. Astor’s will that have recently come under scrutiny were made with her full consent, and protested suggestions from her legal guardians that signatures on some of the documents might have been forged. Sept. 15, 2006: Francis X. Morrissey Jr., a lawyer with a controversial legal career who has figured prominently in the court battle over Brooke Astor’s care and finances defended himself for the first time, saying that he had a long friendship with her and that it was only natural that she would ask him to do estate work for her. Oct. 13, 2006: To settle the dispute, Mr. Marshall agrees to pay more than $1.3 million, return valuable artwork and jewelry, and give up his role as steward of his mother’s financial and health affairs. Mr. Marshall and his wife, Charlene, will be required to relinquish their positions as co-executors of Mrs. Astor’s estate and to post millions of dollars in collateral in the form of a Maine vacation property to cover any potential claims against Mr. Marshall’s handling of his mother’s wealth. The 18-page settlement, approved by Justice John E. H. Stackhouse of State Supreme Court in Manhattan, stipulates that JPMorgan Chase and Mrs. de la Renta will serve as her permanent guardians. Oct. 19, 2006: The Times reports on new concerns about whether someone forged Mrs. Astor’s signature on a series of changes to her will. March 27, 2007: The Times reports that a 12-page inventory of Mrs. Astor’s assets and finances estimate her net worth to be nearly $131 million. The inventory was conducted by an accounting firm for the court-appointed permanent guardians of her property, JPMorgan Chase. June 24, 2007: The Times reports details of Mrs. Astor’s will, signed in 2002, and the codicils attached to it, signed in 2003 and 2004. (See related blog post.) Aug. 13, 2007: Mrs. Astor dies at age 105. Aug. 22, 2007: Continuing the legal dispute, Mr. Marshall asks a judge to reject a request by Mrs. de la Renta and JPMorgan Chase to serve as administrators of her estate. Oct. 18, 2007: The Times reports that settlement talks to help resolve the dispute over Mrs. Astor’s estate were halted in September at the request of the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which was conducting a criminal investigation and feared that its work could be compromised. Today (Nov. 26, 2007): Mr. Marshall and Mr. Morrissey have been indicted on criminal charges stemming from their stewardship of Mrs. Astor’s financial affairs and the handling of her will, according to people who have been briefed on the situation.
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