Anthony Marshall, the 85-year-old son of the late philanthropist Brooke Astor, fell in a bathroom, hitting his head, in the courthouse where he is on trial for stealing from his mother's fortune. The Daily News reports, "The accident happened around 11:30 a.m. Some 45 minutes later, paramedics were still trying to treat Marshall. His wife, Charlene, was also inside the men's room comforting him." His lawyer said, "He was dizzy and fell. He fell down in the stall and hit his head." The Post, which notes that Marshall requested to see a doctor being he wasn't feeling well yesterday, has a sad picture of Marshall wearing an oxygen mask and sitting on a gurney.

Governor Paterson has planned a 5:01 p.m. TV appearance, to speak to New Yorkers about the State Senate stalemate. And the rumor is that he might very well appoint a Lieutenant Governor—the Times Union reports, "The governor's press office has assured broadcasters the event is newsworthy." The last time Paterson requested TV time was to discuss the sorry state of NY State finances a year ago. While some think that Paterson will just criticize the State Senate some more, PolitickerNY hears that the a lieutenant governor pick is a consideration, leading a Democrat to say, "Doing this means going to war with Andrew [Cuomo]. [Paterson]'s got to know that." According to WCBS 2, names being floated for LG are "Denise O'Donnell, the former Buffalo U.S. attorney who is currently Paterson's criminal justice coordinator; Former Court of Appeals Chief Judge Judith Kaye; and Secretary of State Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez."

John Gotti Jr. is in "excruciating pain" from infected kidney stones, and his lawyers say the prison's refusal to provide him with proper medical treatment amounts to "cruel and unusual punishment." His attorneys have been trying to get him out on bail before the start of his September racketeering trial, and in court papers obtained by the Daily News, they assert, "It is common knowledge that the pain associated with kidney stones is worse than childbirth." To back up their claim, they link to a medical website with testimonials from women who've endured both; one says, "Childbirth has nothing on kidney stones. When you are in labor the pain is like a wave. With a kidney stone it is constant. I would have 10 births before ever wanting to go through the pain of a stone." So given the choice, which would you prefer, a kidney stone or a kid? The former isn't very cute, but at least it never grows up and makes you take it to Hannah Montana.

As a 15-year veteran of the NYPD, Sergeant Joseph Spiekerman knew exactly what to do after drunkenly running a red light and plowing into 68-year-old Barry Gintel one morning last month: Refuse to take the breath test! Though he admitted he'd been drinking, cops on the scene had to get a court order to draw his blood, so we'll never know just how wasted Officer Spiekerman was when he ran over Gintel at 6:40 a.m. on June 29th at York Avenue and 86th Street. Gintel was on his way back to his apartment after buying a coffee and two buttered rolls at The Mansion diner; the cashier tells the Daily News, "I give him his change, look out the window, and I see he got hit and goes flying 10, maybe 20 feet in the air." The impact shattered the windshield of Spiekerman's Volvo and Gintel underwent emergency surgery for two fractured legs, broken ribs, a ruptured spleen, and head and neck injuries. He's still in the hospital and wearing a neck brace! Spiekerman has been suspended without pay and is charged with felony vehicular assault and DWI, and the News seems rather surprised that "police officials declined to explain why they failed to release details of the crash and Spiekerman's arrest sooner."

The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted 9-1 yesterday to approve St Vincent's controversial plans to build a 203-foot-tall, 16-story condo (right) on the east side of Seventh Avenue, between West 11th and West 12th Streets, in the Greenwich Village historic district. It's a big win for St. Vincent's over community outcry about the project's scale, and the hospital is counting on the condo deal to help fund the $830 million, 286-foot-tall medical building that will replace the doomed landmark O'Toole building. But in a concession to the commission, St Vincent's and partner Rudin Management agreed to shrink the condo 15 feet, so now the local gadflies have nothing to complain about! Oh, except for Andrew Berman at the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation; he tells City Room, "It’s certainly not over." So maybe we'll get some more celebrity outrage? The plan to raze the sawtooth O'Toole building still faces a legal challenge, and the entire $1.63 billion project also needs approval from he City Council and the City Planning Commission.

Last night, a Connecticut advertising executive surrendered to the police after a frightening standoff in which he kidnapped his wife, demanded a priest come and give her last rites, and then asked for a judge to re-marry them. Around 8:30 p.m., Nancy Tyler managed to leave the South Windsor house that ex Richard Shenkman was supposed to turn over her as part of divorce settlement, but the Post reports, "Dozens of gunshots and explosions were then heard at the home, which was soon engulfed in flames." Shenkman, who had asked police to shoot him, finally gave up around midnight. He also made his demands through a reporter for the New London Day, who previously covered his wife and him, and seemed to confide in the reporter: "If I wanted to do a murder/suicide, I could have done it three years ago. I've never hurt her in my life. I do want Nancy to walk out of here. I don't trust the cops. They have screwed up so much in the arson (case) and all that stuff." Police are at the home today investigating whether the home really had all the 65 pounds of explosives Shenkman said it did. He will probably be charged with kidnapping, arson, and reckless endangerment.