Brooke Astor Payday for Lawyers, But Not Publicists
In one of those rich-people settlements where the accused gets off but everyone totally knows he's guilty anyway, Anthony Marshall, whose own son accused him of abusing and neglecting his mother, the 104-year-old socialite Brooke Astor, has been cleared of all charges. He's also required to fork over $11 million of his mother's money, and he's not the only one who's going to be out a couple of bucks:
In the seven weeks since the agreement, those involved in the case have filed bills with Justice John E. H. Stackhouse of State Supreme Court in Manhattan for fees totaling about $3 million for the services of 56 lawyers, 65 legal assistants, 6 accountants, 5 bankers, 6 doctors, 2 public relations firms and a law school professor.
Ultimately, though, the judge ended up denying the requests for payment that "weren't in the best interest of Ms. Astor": namely, the payments to those two PR firms. Well, we don't know about that! Doesn't that judge know what passes for good publicity among socialites? This is the highest Brooke Astor's public profile has been since the infamous Pink and Silver Ball Nip Slip of 1921.
In Aftermath of Astor Case, How Final Fees Piled Up [NYT]
Earlier: 104-Year-Old Socialite Treated Like 104-Year-Old Commmoner