Dressage Olympian Michael Barisone remains in New Jersey’s Morris County Correctional Facility, following a not guilty plea today during his arraignment in Morristown on two counts of attempted murder and two counts of possessing a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
He was indicted last month in connection with the Aug. 7 shooting of Lauren Kanarek, a boarder at his Long Valley farm, who took two bullets in her chest during the climax of a landlord-tenant dispute. She had been living on the property with her fiancée, Rob Goodwin, who was hurt in the scuffle.
Michael Barisone in court with attorney Ed Bilinkas. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
Barisone, who has been held without bail since the incident, looked pale and gaunt in a yellow jumpsuit as he told Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor he understood the charges against him. When the judge asked Morris County Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Schellhorn whether there would be a plea offer for Barisone, Schellhorn replied “not at this time, but I expect to be in a position to discuss that at the next appearance.”
Barisone, who also pleaded not guilty following his arrest, has a date to be back in court March 2. Under the state’s “speedy trial” provision, after being indicted, a defendant cannot be kept in custody for more than 180 days before the start of his trial. That would make Barisone’s trial June 14, but the judge cited the complexity of this case. His comment was underlined when the assistant prosecutor noted that he already has handed over 5,000 pages of discovery material to the defense, and expects to have several thousand more pages on Wednesday.
A prominent figure on the dressage scene, Barisone was part of the 2008 Olympic team, but did not ride because only three members of the squad were permitted to compete. He had served on various committees for his discipline, and in 2016 coached Olympic bronze medal team member Allison Brock.