Witness: Astor Disoriented on Day She Changed Will

NEW YORK (AP)  -- A private nurse for Brooke Astor testified for the prosecution Thursday at the trial of Astor's son and an estates lawyer that the socialite and philanthropist was "disoriented as to time and place'' on the day she signed the first amendment to her will.

Pearline Noble, an Astor nurse from 2003 until she died at age 105 in 2007, said Thursday that Astor was unsure of where she was in the latter part of Dec. 18, 2003, the day she signed the first amendment to her 2002 will.

Noble, 48, was testifying in Manhattan's state Supreme Court at the trial of Astor's son, Anthony Marshall, 85, and trust and estates lawyer Francis Morrissey, 66. Both are accused of exploiting Astor's mental deterioration to plunder her $198 million estate.

Prosecutors filed no charges related to the first will amendment but have accused the defendants of undue influence in two subsequent changes within the next two months that gave Marshall millions of dollars meant for charity.

Noble also testified that on Dec. 1, 2003, Astor was visited by her estate lawyer Henry Christensen. She said Marshall and his wife, Charlene, listened at the door for a while, and then Charlene Marshall gave her husband a "forceful shove'' and told him, "Get in there.''

Charlene Marshall has not been charged with any crime, but prosecutors have elicited testimony to suggest she was driving Marshall to steal from his mother.

Noble said she overheard Marshall asked whether Astor, then 101, was sure she wanted to give the money to charity, and the philanthropist said she did.

When Christensen left, Noble said, Astor asked, "Who was that man?'' The witness said she explained that he was her lawyer.

After Christensen was gone, Astor was depressed, and that night she was restless, Noble said.

Earlier Thursday, Noble testified that Astor lived in a realm of fear and paranoia starting in late 2003, afraid of her own shadow.

Noble said that while Astor was walking her two dogs one day, she looked down and saw her shadow and it frightened her.

Noble reassured Astor that it was her own and told her "she can step on it.''

Noble's testimony came a day after Marshall became dizzy and fell and struck his head in the courthouse restroom. Noble is expected to continue testifying Monday.