Sobbing Florida Developer George Pino, 54, Scolded by Judge for Hugging Loved Ones During Trial — As He Faces Decades Behind Bars for Teen's Death in Boat Crash
George Pino has let his emotions loose during his trial for killing a teenage girl in a boating accident.
June 11 2026, Published 7:00 p.m. ET
A Florida real estate developer who broke down in tears at the start of his manslaughter trial has been scolded by a judge for hugging and showing affection for his loved ones in court, RadarOnline.com can report.
George Pino was scolded for his public displays of affection, which were witnessed by jurors and others in the courtroom.
George Pino's High Emotions
Pino was scolded by the judge for hugging people in the gallery.
Pino is facing a manslaughter and a felony vessel homicide charge after he was involved in a deadly boat crash that took the life of his daughter's 17-year-old friend while leaving another teen paralyzed.
The businessman has been an emotional mess inside the courtroom since his trial got underway earlier this week, including new testimony and the photos were introduced as evidence on Thursday, June 11. During one pause in the proceedings, as the prosecutors and defense attorneys spoke to the judge in sidebar conferences, Pino was approached by acquaintances seated in the gallery and given hugs.
While that may seem like a nice gesture, prosecutors worried the sight could unfairly influence the jury.
Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez agreed, expressing her displeasure that people were "actually having physical contact and hugging Mr. Pino."
She slammed the affection as "absolutely unacceptable," while admonishing, "This is a court of law. We're not at a sporting event, not at a social event."
Warnings from the Judge
The real estate developer was instructed to keep his contact confined to his attorneys,
Prosecutor Laura Adams agreed with the judge's interpretation and let her know the defendant had already been warned about controlling his emotions.
"Even though he has heard me ask multiple times last week and this week not to engage in public displays of affection, especially when a jury is around, he continues to do it. He allows it to happen," Adams said, while recommending Pino be talked to personally.
"I understand the court admonishing the people that are in the room, but the main person who should be admonished is the man who’s allowing it to happen, which is the defendant."
Mendez turned her attention to Pino and warned him not to engage in physical contact with anyone and to restrict himself to writing notes to his attorneys.
Pino broke down in tears at the start of his trial.
The tongue-lashing came after another incident at the start of his trial Monday, when Pino broke down in uncontrollable sobs during the opening arguments, leading the judge to send jurors home and cancel court for the day.
During defense attorney Howard Srebnick's opening statement, Pino's visible breakdown eventually became so overpowering that Prosecutor Laura Adams called for a delay, saying his behavior was "inappropriate" for jurors to witness.
"Mr. Pino's going to need to be able to control himself," Miami-Dade Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez said, adding, "it's not proper at all for the jury to be witnessing the emotional behaviors."
A Life Cut Short
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Lucy Fernandez died from drowning following injuries she sustained in the crash.
Pino stepped out to compose himself, but Srebnick told the judge he was concerned about his client's health. After a short recess, Miami Fire Rescue crews checked Pino out, and the judge ultimately agreed to dismiss the jury for the day.
As Radar reported, the 54-year-old was at the helm of the 29-foot vessel with 14 people on board when he crashed into a channel marker near Boca Chita Key. The boat capsized, and all of the passengers, including several teens, were thrown into the water.
Lucy Fernandez, a senior at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami, died from drowning following injuries she sustained in the crash. Katerina Puig, another passenger who was 18 at the time, was left permanently disabled.
Pino faces as many as 30 years in prison.
