If you want a deeper understanding of the Michael Barisone attempted murder case, there are two movies you should see.
One is Pacific Heights (1990), starring Michael Keaton as a tenant in an escalating dispute with his landlords that ended in violence. The other is the 1959 courtroom classic, “Anatomy of a Murder,” with Jimmy Stewart in the lead role as the lawyer for an accused murderer who said he did not remember the shooting and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Both these films will ring a bell after watching the Barisone trial on the livestream.
The three-week trial in Morristown, N.J., offered as much drama as either of the movies because it was happening in real life. Thousands of people followed it closely, and many were not shy about voicing their opinions in a continuing dialogue on Facebook.
Michael Barisone in court. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
The result is that if you asked at random who is the USA’s best-known dressage rider, it wouldn’t be a member of the Tokyo Olympics silver medal team, or Laura Graves, the only American ever to top the world rankings in the discipline. Today there is only one answer: Michael Barisone.
He was charged with attempted murder in the Aug. 7, 2019 shooting of Lauren Kanarek, his boarder, tenant and student at Hawthorne Hill in Long Valley, N.J. Barisone was trying to evict Kanarek and her boyfriend, Rob Goodwin, after his relationship with the couple soured amidst thousands of posts on social media, having his conversations recorded and fearing for his life.
Despite the jury last Thursday finding him not guilty by reason of insanity with respect to the shooting of Kanarek, and an outright not guilty decision on the prosecution’s claim that he attempted to shoot Goodwin, Barisone still isn’t out of the woods.
He has yet to be transferred from the Morris County Correctional Facility in Morristown, N.J., to the Ann Klein Forensic Center in Trenton, where he will undergo evaluation to determine whether he is a danger to himself or the community, needs treatment or if he can be released under certain conditions. A hearing on the findings is set for May 17, though if his transfer is delayed, that could be pushed back.
Meanwhile, his expenses are mounting. His farm in Loxahatchee, Fla., continues to operate, but without him there to teach, it isn’t running at its full potential. His legal fees are not at an end, because he is being sued by Kanarek.
To help out, his partner Lara Osborne has started a Go Fund Me page at gofundme.com/f/help-michael-barisone-rebuild-his-life. It went active this morning. She said so many people had come to her wanting to help Barisone that she decided to institute the page. The goal at the moment is to raise $300,000. While others have helped out to this point, she is footing many bills herself.
Lara Osborne. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Lara, the owner of a tack shop business whose daughter, Jordan, was a working student for the trainer, explains her involvement with him this way:
“I stepped up to help a friend in need when others ran away. Over time, that friendship grew into much more. I am proud to say Michael Barisone is my best friend and my life partner.
“The past month has been sheer hell; I have watched the person that I love be torn apart, all of his mental health issues thrust out in the public for all to see, and all of his deeply private and personal fears exposed,” she stated on Facebook.
“But he survived, and the truth is starting to come out. Last Thursday, he was vindicated and now he can start the healing process and hopefully come home soon.Thank you too everyone that has been so supportive of Michael. He needs you all now more than ever.”
Michael Barisone, the alternate on the 2008 Olympic team of Debbie McDonald, Courtney King-Dye and Steffen Peters. (Photo © 2008 by Nancy Jaffer)
Those who wish to write to Barisone can do so via defense attorney Ed Bilinkas. Letters should be addressed this way: M. Barisone C/O Bilinkas Edward J., 415 State Route 10,STE #1, Randolph, N.J. 07869
