Brooke Astor's son was convicted of looting her estate while she had Alzheimer's

Brooke Astor was the widow of Vincent Astor and a leading New York philanthropist. She had Alzheimer's disease in her last years. Her 2002 will left most of her estate to charity. Amendments in late 2003 and early 2004 made her only son, Anthony Marshall, executor and residuary heir. In July 2006 her grandson Philip Marshall petitioned for a guardian, with affidavits from Henry Kissinger and David Rockefeller. The court appointed Annette de la Renta. Astor died of pneumonia at her Westchester estate, aged 105. In November 2007 the Manhattan District Attorney indicted Marshall and his lawyer, Francis X. Morrissey. In October 2009 a jury convicted Marshall on 14 of 16 counts, including first-degree grand larceny. Morrissey was convicted of forgery, conspiracy and fraud. Both were sentenced to one to three years. Marshall entered prison in June 2013 and was released on medical parole about two months later. In March 2012 a settlement in Westchester Surrogate's Court restored the 2002 will and voided the amendments. About $100 million was freed for charity, including $30 million for a Brooke Astor Fund for New York City education and about $20 million for the Metropolitan Museum. Marshall's share fell from about $31 million to $14.5 million. Sotheby's sold the contents of her homes in 2012. Marshall died on 30 November 2014, aged 90.