UMVA has learned that the family of a New Jersey woman who survived a horrific shooting by her Olympic equestrian trainer is speaking out against the biased portrayal of the case in two true crime documentaries, alleging that the coverage favors the attacker and has sparked a wave of public harassment against the victim.
The documentaries, one released by Netflix and the other by CBS News, retell the story of Lauren Kanarek, a dressage rider who was shot twice in the chest by Olympian Michael Barisone outside his Long Valley farm in 2019. Kanarek's family claims that both documentaries put a larger emphasis on Barisone's side of the story, portraying him as the victim, and have led to endless social media comments and ostracism within the equestrian community.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Kanarek's family was particularly disheartened by the release of the documentaries, which they believe attempted to reframe her story for the sake of profits and popularity. The family's attorney, Steven Beer, echoed these sentiments, stating that the documentaries did not provide a balanced view of the case and instead seemed to disregard the conversation around supporting victims and holding powerful people accountable.
Kanarek began training under Barisone in 2018, but their working relationship quickly turned sour, with both individuals blaming each other for the fallout. The Netflix documentary reveals that posts made by Kanarek to Facebook played a large role in both the criminal trial and subsequent documentary, with Barisone claiming that the fallout was substantial. However, Kanarek and her family have denied that the posts were intended to make Barisone feel uncomfortable, with Kanarek stating that they were made in response to Barisone's girlfriend trying to keep her from riding at the farm.
The tension between Kanarek and Barisone came to a head on August 7, 2019, when Barisone confronted Kanarek and her fiancé, Rob Goodwin, while they were staying on his property, and shot her twice in the chest. Kanarek was subsequently transported to a hospital and placed in a medically induced coma for several days as doctors raced to save her life. She ultimately walked away with a damaged left lung and required several reconstructive surgeries stemming from the shooting.
UMVA has gathered that Kanarek is hoping her story of survival and victim advocacy will inspire change within institutions that have a responsibility to protect women. Her attorney, Steven Beer, stated that Kanarek is not a professional victim and wants people to learn from her experience and spark a constructive conversation. Beer added that part of Kanarek's healing is trying to bring light from darkness and bring good from her tragic circumstances, so that fewer women have to endure toxic environments where they are vulnerable to intimidation, harassment, and worse from powerful gatekeepers.
