Astor Trial Crawls as Lawyers Squabble

As the second week of jury selection in the Brooke Astor trial began today, with potential jurors being asked if they can sit still for a 3-month trial, the judge upbraided the lawyers for bickering and grandstanding as if they never wanted it to end, the New York Times reports. “I strongly feel that this should have been resolved eons ago, months ago,” he said of a spat over courtroom technology.

The New York socialite’s son, Anthony Marshall, was indicted some 16 months ago over claims that he used her ill mental health to manipulate her will. Since then, the case “has dragged at the pace of a dehydrated turtle,” writes John Eligon. Now, the defendant has faded into the background as the lawyers snipe at each other and recycle arguments as opportunities to show off their wit.
(More Brooke Astor stories.)