Defense Argues Astor Intended Son to Benefit From Her Estate

In his opening statement Tuesday, Anthony Marshall's lawyer fired at the allegation that his client had exploited the fragile state of his mother, socialite Brooke Astor, to steer millions of dollars from charity to himself. He said the prosecutor had "trashed" the only direct evidence of the mental state of Astor, who signed a codicil making Marshall the outright beneficiary of her residual estate, worth about $60 million: sworn statements from two respected lawyers that Astor was of sound mind when she changed her will.