Ex-Olympian files new lawsuit after Morris County shooting trial found him not guilty

Michael Barisone, the ex-Olympic dressage rider who was found not guilty by reason of insanity for shooting a tenant on his horse farm, is suing his insurance companies, claiming they breached their contracts when they failed to defend him.

The lawsuit, filed in Morris County Superior Court on Monday, claims that because of the insurance policies Barisone had taken out on his Long Valley horse farm, Sweetgrass Farm, and dressage business, they had a duty to protect him. Barisone had policies with Farm Family Casualty Insurance Company, American National Insurance Company and Great American Insurance Company of New York.

Barisone, 58, was accused of shooting his tenant Lauren Kanarek twice on his upscale farm in August 2019. He purportedly shot at her fianceé Robert Goodwin but missed. He had reportedly received the gun from Ruth Cox, a client who legally owned it but illegally brought it to New Jersey.

The suit said Barisone was subjected to severe harassment by Kanarek and Goodwin in the form of stalking, threats, emotional and psychological abuse, recording of private conversations and more to "destroy him," which resulted in a mental breakdown and led to the shooting.

After an 11-day trial, a jury came to a rare conclusion that Barisone was not guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity, finding that at the time of the crime, he was suffering a mental defect and he did not know what he had done was wrong.

He is currently housed at Greystone Psychiatric Hospital in Morris County. He is scheduled for a hearing on April 25 to determine if he needs to remain at Greystone.

Barisone said he was forced to hire attorneys and fund his own defense to the tune of thousands of dollars when the companies should have borne the expense. The former Olympian is seeking that he be awarded monetary damages for the money he spent on legal fees.

The suit stated that among the several insurance companies, Barisone had policies that had millions of dollars in coverage including bodily injury, property damage and personal injury.

From Great American, Barisone had an "ArgiPak Farm and Ranch Policy" that had a general aggregate limit of $2 million including $1 million of personal injury coverage. A different policy from Great American, "AriGuard Farm Catastrophe Liability Policy" provided Barisone and his dressage company with a general aggregate limit of $1 million that covered bodily injury and property damage.

Farm Family issued Barisone a "Special Farm Package '10' Policy" that insured Sweet Grass Farm, and various others, providing a $2 million general aggregate limit that included $1 million per occurrence. There was an additional policy that provided additional business liability coverage.

The insurance companies could not be reached for comment.

Kanarek filed a suit against Barisone in October 2019 saying she was put in danger by Barisone, the farm and Cox by allowing firearms on the property. Kanarek's lawsuit alleged she and her fiancé were harassed by the ex-Olympian.

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Kanarek settled with Barisone's farm late last month and on April 3, she dismissed with prejudice all her claims against Barisone, which Barisone's lawsuit said absolved him of any claims that he committed any wrongful act against Kanarek in the shooting.

The lawsuit said the insurance companies were notified about Kanarak's civil suit and demands of defense for the farm, Cox and Barisone.

"The [insurance companies] agreed to provide defenses for Sweet Grass Farm and Ruth Cox under reservation of rights but refused to provide the same to Barisone − even as to Ms. Kanarek's negligence-based claim," the suit stated.

Barisone suffered "injury and resulting damages" because of the insurance companies' failures, including attorneys' fees, litigation expenses, expert witness fees, investigative fees and other costs incurred while defending himself from his criminal trial, Kanarek's lawsuit and any other litigation, according to the suit.

He said he was at least entitled to a defense.

This is not the first lawsuit filed by Barisone. He filed a lawsuit against almost a dozen Washington Township police officers in July 2021, saying they disregarded multiple 911 calls, fearing for his and his family's life. The suit was dismissed by a Morris County judge in November 2021.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Michael Barisone sues insurance companies after Morris County trial