Airing Dirty Laundry As George David Divorce Trial Begins
By MARYELLEN FILLO |The Hartford Courant March 19, 2009

The floodgates for all the dirty details of the nearly 7-year-old,
on-again, off-again marriage of former United Technologies Corp. CEO
and current board Chairman George David and his estranged wife, Marie
Douglas-David, opened when their messy, multimillion-dollar divorce
trial began Wednesday in Hartford Family Court.

Within 45 minutes, lawyers for Douglas-David portrayed the 66-year-old
David as a calculating, coy, self-serving adulterer who took advantage
of his young wife's lack of self-confidence, and her fears of being
penniless and childless, while enticing her to sign a post-nuptial
agreement in 2005 that would protect him financially.

David's lawyers fired back, claiming the 36-year-old Douglas-David was,
until recently, so happy with a $43 million post-nuptial agreement that
she paid her high-powered New York City divorce lawyer, William Beslow,
a $270,000 bonus when it was finalized in 2005. She even sought
enforcement of it three years ago, the lawyers said, one of several
times the couple contemplated divorce. David's lawyers charac- terized
her as a nagging wife prone to tirades, who hounded her husband because
he did not hold his fork correctly or because invitations to social
events were not worded right. They said she also strayed from the
marriage — twice with the same man during a three-year period.

"The parties had fabulous highs and low lows in their marriage," said
one of David's lawyers, retired Connecticut Appellate Court Judge Anne
C. Dranginis. "But despite all efforts, it just didn't work and it is
difficult to attribute fault in this case."

Judge Stephen Frazzini denied a motion that would have limited
arguments to the validity of the post-nuptial agreement, a blow to
David's side.

Lawyers for Douglas-David exchanged thumbs-up signs because the denial
could allow for more personal testimony and private exhibits.

"I don't see this as a prize fight," said New York lawyer Robert Cohen,
when asked about winning the first round. "But it is an important issue
and I am happy with the ruling."

Douglas-David, dressed in black, and her estranged husband, in a dark
business suit and sea-foam green necktie, did not acknowledge each
other as dollies of boxed documents were wheeled into the hearing room
and their collective 10 lawyers and clerks took their seats.

David, who took the stand briefly as the first witness, acknowledged
that he and Douglas-David were married in 2002, and answered with a
firm "yes" when asked if the marriage was irrevocably broken.

Calling David's insistence on a post-nuptial agreement "coercive,"
Beslow said Douglas-David, who was trying to make the marriage work,
had no choice but to sign the agreement because she was afraid of a man
she knew could ruin people.

"He gave her a blueprint of how he prepared to fire people," said Beslow,
as he argued for denial of the motion.

"He would mirror e-mails, create dossiers, essentially hold a gun
to their heads," he said, paralleling David's business tactics to his
personal ones. "No muss, no fuss."

"He would blame her for the trouble he had with people on different
boards. It had a chilling effect on her," Beslow said, calling the
agreement "tainted."

Dranginis, who, along with Hartford lawyer Austin McGuigan, New York
lawyer Adria Hillman and Hartford lawyer Carlo Forzani made up David's
legal representation, painted a different picture.

"Mr. David went out of his way to be with his wife and he tried to
please her. She spent freely and as she wished," said Dranginis,
repeatedly noting that the post-nuptial agreement had been one
Douglas-David signed and had wanted to use at one point.

"It's a sad situation," said a composed David, worth an estimated $329
million, during a break in the hearing that continues today at 10 a.m.
"It's unfortunate for it to end this way."

Marie Douglas-David Divorce; $43M Not Enough To Live On?

Swedish countess Marie Douglas-David divorce payout of $43 million
from her former CEO husband isn't enough to live on.
Marie Douglas-David, 36, a former investment banker,
says she requires her 67-year-old husband,
George David, to pay her more than $53,000 a week.
George David is worth some $329 million, according to the news
outlets covering the Connecticut divorce trial say. David stepped down
last year as chief executive at Hartford, Conn.-based United
Technologies Corp. but is still chairman of the board.
Douglas-David agreed to a settlement of $43 million when she signed
a post-nuptial agreement, but now it isn't enough to keep her in the
style she's accustomed.
Douglas-David says she wants about $100 million in cash and stock
in addition to the monthly alimony. In court papers, she says she needs
the cash to maintain a Park Avenue apartment and three residences in
Sweden. Weekly expenses also include $700 for limousine service, $4,500
for clothes, $1,000 for hair and spa treatments, $1,500 for restaurants and
entertainment, and $8,000 for travel.
Her personal assistant's salary of $114,868 is more than most of us make in a year.
Between them, the Davids have 10 Lawyers and clerks handling their case.
No word on the cost of legal fees.

I just saw this on inside edition.

This is ridiculous! How much frigging money do people NEED?

I think she is being greedy, what single person couldn't live on 43,000.000. 00.

I think this is all ludicrous and a waste of time. She never even had children with the man that I can find.

She reminds of a few of my friends. I love them to death but...