In a special bulletin, the New York Times has just reported that Anthony D Marshall, son of the late socialite Brooke Astor has been sentenced to prison by a New York State Supreme Court Justice. Marshall was sentenced to one to three years in state prison by Justice A. Kirke Bartley Jr. after being convicted of stealing millions from his mother while she was alive. The case drew national attention first when it came to light that Marshall had kept his mother as a virtual prisoner, left to wallow in her own waste. The case focused attention on the growing problem of elder abuse, demonstrating that even super rich seniors such as Brooke Astor were subject to being severely mistreated by their own families. Marshall, who is 85 years old, has vowed to appeal the verdict so, given his advanced age and the legal firepower available to him, it is anyone’s guess when he will actually report to start serving his sentence .