Dressage trainer Michael Barisone reached out to the U.S. Center for SafeSport last year after complaining of harassment by a woman he subsequently was charged with shooting.
The comment about SafeSport was made by defense attorney Ed Bilinkas as Barisone appeared before Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor in Morristown today for a hearing on his case.
Barisone, who stood silent, has been held without bail in the Morris County Correctional Facility since a fight at his Long Valley farm with Rob Goodwin and rider Lauren Kanarek, who was hospitalized after being shot twice in the chest during the Aug. 7 incident.
Michael Barisone and attorney Ed Bilinkas. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
The trainer had been trying to get the couple evicted from a house on his property, but calls to the police had not resolved the matter. Barisone, the alternate on the 2008 Olympic dressage team, also had hired a private investigator during his quest to remove Kanarek and her fiancee, Goodwin.
“He had called SafeSport numerous times and told them that he was in fear for his life. I’m not sure exactly what they said, I don’t have any of those records yet,” Bilinkas said in an interview, expanding on remarks he made in court, where he said he planned to subpoena those records and complaints filed against Kanarek by others.
Kanarek, meanwhile, had contacted SafeSport about Barisone, and those records have been subpoenaed by Christopher Schellhorn, Morris County Supervising Assistant Prosecutor of the Major Crimes and Arson and Environmental Crimes Units.. SafeSport is focused on ending all forms of abuse in sport and offers training for national sport governing bodies recognized by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Two days after the shooting, Barisone was added to the SafeSport and U.S. Equestrian Federation’s ineligibility lists.
He pleaded not guilty to a December indictment on two counts of attempted murder and two counts of possessing a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
Michael Barisone leaving court. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
The sheer volume of material involved in the case has meant delays as the defense plows through thousands of records. Bilinkas said there were 19,000 pages of social media material from Kanarek alone, for instance.
“We’re making significant progress,” commented Bilinkas, while adding he needs additional time to go over everything.
“I want to make sure I have all the discovery before I start making any decisions.”
Asked during my interview if there had been discussion about a plea deal, Bilinkas replied, “There’s no plea here. I think he’s going to be found innocent.”
When the judge questioned whether the state had made a plea offer, Schellhorn replied, “Not at this time.”
If the matter is to go before a jury, the judge had said during a January hearing that speedy trial requirements would mean a June trial date.
But Bilinkas commented, “We’re at the tip of the iceberg here. I’ve never seen anyhing like this in terms of the delays and baggage. I don’t think there’s any way this is going in June.”
He’s hoping to get through all the discovery material by April 6, the date of the next court hearing. He also mentioned needing to hear “secret recordings” Kanarek and Goodwin made of Barisone without permission, citing as an example one of a conversation between the trainer and his lawyer.
Bilinkas told the judge that the state’s Division of Child Protection & Permanency had determined accusations Kanarek made about Barisone being involved in child abuse were unfounded. It was after a visit by a CP&P investigator that Barisone clashed with Kanarek and Goodwin.
The judge said he didn’t find CP&P’s decision relevant or admissible.
“It’s a different agency with a different mission,” he commented, saying it’s an opinion of a social worker. “We don’t know whether they have all the evidence.”
Bilinkas, however, noted, “It’s our position I have incontrovertible evidence that Miss Kanarek has made numerous false claims against my client.”
“That’s a different story,” said the judge, adding, “they can be shown by other means.”
In the interview, Bilinkas said there was a claim of insurance fraud made against Barisone by Kanarek.
“She talks about it on social media. There is no insurance fraud by Michael Barisone and the records from the insurance company will bear that out.”
He said it involved a pipe that burst at the Long Valley farm while Barisone was in Florida.
“She’s telling all sorts of people he’s committing insurance fraud. That’s a false allegation.”
Kanarek’s mother stood in the hall listening as I interviewed the attorneys. When I asked at the end of the interview who she was, she identified herself, and after I asked if she wanted to comment, she declined.
