Anthony D. Marshall, who faces at least one year in prison for looting the estate of his mother, socialite Brooke Astor, will not have his lead trial lawyer at his side when he is sentenced on Dec. 21. On Nov. 16, Frederick P. Hafetz of Hafetz & Necheles withdrew as counsel with Mr. Marshall’s consent. Mr. Hafetz’s co-counsels during a 20-week trial that ended on Oct. 8, Kenneth E. Warner of Warner Partners and John R. Cuti of Davis Wright Tremaine, will continue to represent Mr. Marshall during post-trial proceedings.
According to a Westlaw search of consent judgments filed as of Aug. 14 at Manhattan Supreme Court, Mr. Marshall owes Hafetz & Necheles $3.3 million in legal fees. Mr. Hafetz, however, continued to represent him through the jury verdict. The filings show Warner Partners is owed $1.7 million as of Oct. 15. Mr. Cuti said his firm is owed money but has not yet filed a confession of judgment. He declined to comment further. In addition, the White Plains-based firm of Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, which is representing Mr. Marshall in the civil side of the case in Westchester Surrogate’s Court, has filed Mr. Marshall’s confession of judgment for $1.5 million as of Oct. 21.
