Lawyer surrenders in Brooke Astor case

NEW YORK, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- A New York lawyer surrendered Friday to face charges he took part in the alleged fleecing of the late heiress Brooke Astor by her own son.

Francis Morrissey is charged with forgery for allegedly changing Astor's will illegally so that her son, 83-year-old Anthony Marshall, would receive $60 million she had earmarked for charity.

Brooke Astor died earlier this year at the age of 105. She was stricken with Alzheimer's disease and left behind an estate worth $132 million, the New York Daily News said.

Marshall was indicted earlier on similar charges and has pleaded innocent.