A prosecutor is facing a backlash over her conduct during the trial of a millionaire Florida property developer.
George Pino, 55, was acquitted on Monday of second-degree manslaughter and vessel homicide charges after a boat crash in Biscayne Bay in 2022.
Lucy Fernandez, 17, was killed in the incident, which left her friend Katy Puig, who was also 17 at the time, permanently disabled.
Prosecutor Laura Adams delivered a lengthy statement to the jury during her closing arguments at Miami-Dade County court.
‘How did this crash happen? Because he was reckless, because he was criminally negligent,’ Adams said.
‘No one but this defendant captained that boat, no one but this defendant decided the speed [the boat] should travel, and no one but this defendant decided the direction of travel.
‘No one and nothing is responsible for the death of Lucy Fernandez except for that man sitting right there,’ Adams said, pointing at Pino while holding up a photo of the 17-year-old victim.
Tensions flared between Adams and Pino during the trial. On the fifth day, the prosecutor snapped at Pino, because she believed he was muttering comments under his breath to persuade the jury.
‘I’m sorry, do you have something you want to say to me? Why are you staring at me,’ she asked Pino.
Prosecutor Laura Adams on the fifth day of trial when she snapped at George Pino, 55, while he was looking in her direction
Adams during closing remarks, she received loads of social media backlish for her courtroom etiquette
George Pino, 55, was found not guilty over the horrific boat crash that killed a teenage girl and left another permanently disabled
The 55-year-old responded: ‘I’m staring up there,’ pointing to the area behind her. ‘I don’t want to say anything to you.’
The judge intervened, reminding those in the courtroom to ‘maintain composure.’
Adams has faced criticism on social media over her courtroom performance, with one observer describing her remarks as ‘one of the most disgusting attitudes ever seen in a courtroom.’
One X user called for Adams’ firing, writing: ‘What an absolute disgraceful job she did’.
As Monday’s ‘not guilty’ verdict was read aloud in court, Pino broke down in tears.
The verdict brings to an end the criminal case stemming from the September 4, 2022, crash near Boca Chita Key, when Pino’s 29-foot boat struck a channel marker.
The boat was carrying his wife, daughter, and a group of teenage girls celebrating her 18th birthday.
Investigators said Pino was at the helm as the boat headed back toward the dock. He told authorities another vessel had produced a large wake, and that he turned to check on the girls before the boat collided with the marker.
The impact hurled the people on board into the water and punched a huge hole into the side of the vessel.
Katerina Puig, pictured, who was 17 at the time of the crash, survived but was left with severe, lifelong disabilities
A medical examiner ruled that Lucy Fernandez, 17, pictured, died from blunt force trauma and drowning
Pino was driving a 29ft Robalo boat, pictured, when he crashed into a steel channel marker
Eleven of the 14 people on board were injured, according to investigators, and six were taken to hospital.
A medical examiner ruled that Fernandez died from blunt force trauma and drowning.
Puig, now 21, suffered a traumatic brain injury and has been left with permanent disabilities.
The prosecution claimed that Pino was intoxicated. Pino argued he was not drunk and had only had a small amount of beer throughout the day.
Prosecutor Adams showed jurors the video of Lucy and the other girls dancing before the crash, arguing it demonstrated the atmosphere aboard the vessel before it set off toward the channel.
After hearing from survivors, first responders, medical specialists, boating experts and members of the victims’ families, the six-person jury returned not-guilty verdicts.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, Pino’s attorney Howard Srebnick said: ‘The boat crash was an accident, not a crime.
‘The eyewitness testimony from passengers, Good Samaritans and first-responders proved that Mr Pino was not alcohol-impaired, was not speeding, and joined efforts to rescue passengers in the moments after he sustained a traumatic brain injury.
‘We continue to mourn the loss of Lucy Fernandez, pray for those who will forever be affected by this maritime misfortune, and hope that the verdict allows everyone to continue the long process of healing,’ Srebnick added.
After the verdict, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a statement that her office decided to charge Pino with a felony after determining that there was sufficient evidence that Pino’s actions were reckless, although the jury ultimately disagreed.
Lucy Fernandez died in the crash in September 2022
Pino could be seen clenching his teeth and looking down at the table in the courtroom as the not guilty verdict was announced
‘Sadly, I know that this verdict brings no comfort to the Fernandez and Puig families who forever must live with the tragedy of what happened,’ Fernandez Rundle said.
‘In a case like this, there are no winners or losers. Mr Pino must live with what he did, while the Fernandez and Puig families will grapple with the consequences of his actions.’
Fernandez’s family declined an interview request, but shared a statement with the Daily Mail.
‘While we do not agree with the verdict, we respect the judicial process and the role of the jury. This case was always bigger than George Pino. It is about our daughter, Lucy, and a family who loved her and refused to stop fighting for her,’ the victim’s family said.
‘Her story has already changed the landscape of boating in Florida, including how we think about safety on the water and how reckless behavior is addressed and enforced.
‘Regardless of the outcome of this case, we hope no one walks away believing that the circumstances that led to Lucy’s death were acceptable. Lucy’s life mattered. It will go on mattering long after this verdict is forgotten,’ they added.
Daily Mail contacted Adams and Puig’s family for comment.
