Nurse testifies she was fired after questioning expenditures

A nurse who was on the private staff of a Highland Park millionaire testified Thursday she was fired not long after questioning some of the expenses Mary Williams was approving from the man's accounts.

Williams, 70, of Reno, Nev., is on trial in Lake County circuit court for financial exploitation of an elderly person and criminal neglect of an elderly person.

Mary Anne O'Donnell said she was one of up to six registered nurses employed by S. Edward Marder from 1992 until his death in 2007.

Williams was acting as the "head nurse" during her employment, O'Donnell said, and also appeared to be making financial decisions for Marder while she was there.

During a meeting of the nurses in 2005 that had been called after Marder's accountant told Williams household expenses had to be cut, O'Donnell said Williams told the group they needed to think of a way to save their jobs.

O'Donnell said she asked Williams why Marder was buying a new car.

"I said 'What does he need a new Mercedes for,'" O'Donnell said. "He already has two of them and he does not drive."

O'Donnell said she learned later that Williams went ahead with the purchase of the Mercedes and told others that Marder had given the car it replaced in his fleet to her.

Marder also was in the habit of taking two nurses with him when he traveled and always had them fly in the first class section with him and got them rooms in the finest of hotels.

"I asked why he had to have two nurses with him in first class on all those trips he took," O'Donnell said. "It seemed to me he just needed one to sit next to him on the plane."

Williams also rejected that suggestion, O'Donnell said, and called her two months later to tell her that Marder had ordered her fired.

"When I asked why, Mary just said it was because I was not a team player," O'Donnell said. "I asked if I could speak to Mr. Marder, and Mary said no."

Assistant State's Attorney's Christen Bishop and Brett Henne said the exact amount of money Williams illegally obtained from Marder is unknown, but she inflated the salary she was paid to $459,000 in 2004.

Chicago attorney Thomas Breen contends that Marder willingly spent lavishly on Williams and considered her a member of his family.

Testimony is expected to continue today.