'Sobbing' George Pino's Trial Takes Shocking Turn as Doctor Claims Brain Injury Left Florida Developer With 'False Memories' About Fatal Boat Crash
George Pino suffered a 'brain injury' during a deadly boat crash, an expert tesitfied.
June 18 2026, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
George Pino's defense rested on Wednesday, June 18, RadarOnline.com can report, but not before one last shocking twist suggested the overly emotional Florida real estate developer may have suffered a brain injury during a deadly boat crash with him at the helm.
And that, defense attorneys argue, may have led him to have false memories associated with the crash.
Brain Doctor's Surprising Testimony
Pino's defense rested its case with a surprising twist.
Pino, 54, is on trial on charges of manslaughter and vessel homicide in the Sept. 4, 2022, boat crash in Biscayne Bay that took the life of his daughter's 17-year-old friend, Lucy Fernandez, and left another woman, now 19-year-old Katy Puig, disabled.
Prosecutors have argued Pino lied about the cause of the crash to avoid blame, telling investigators that he crashed after the wake of another boat caused him to lose control. However, no witness corroborated that story, nor confirmed that there was another boat near them.
In court on Wednesday, June 17, Pino's attorneys argued the force of the crash caused Pino to suffer from "amnesia" and affected his memory of events. They said that after the boat slammed into a channel marker, Pino made confused statements to first responders, including calling Lucy by another girl's name.
'False Memories'
A doctor testified the force of the crash left Pino with a traumatic brain injury.
Dr. Diana Barratt, a Boca Raton neurologist, took the stand for the defense and testified that she evaluated Pino and determined he had a "traumatic brain injury," which led to his shaky recollection of what happened.
Barratt said "false memories" are not unusual in people with amnesia, as they are struggling with their memory: "They’re filling in the gaps with a false memory without the intention of deceiving people."
Before the defense rested its case, the judge asked Pino if he wanted to testify in his own defense. Pino declined, stating, "I do not wish to testify."
George Pino's Version of Events
Jurors were shown the aftermath of the horrifying crash.
The neurologist's testimony came after jurors watched police bodycam video of the horrific aftermath of the crash from officer Robert Brutto arriving at the scene.
In one part of the video, Pino can be heard telling an officer what he believed happened: "I said, 'Hey guys, watch out. Hold on, because I'm cutting into the wave; you guys are on the back, being tossed around.
"They were right on the back, and as soon as I said it, I was cutting through the wave, and I looked at the wheel.
"I guess when we were on the waves, the wheel turned a little bit as I was coming back in, and I lost a little control back there. I turned, OK?"
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.
As Radar reported, Pino and his wife were hosting several teenage girls on their boat for their daughter's 18th birthday party on September 4, 2022.
Pino 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 the passengers, including several teens, were thrown into the water.
Fernandez, a senior at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami, died from drowning following injuries she sustained in the crash. Puig, who was 18 at the time, was left permanently disabled.
