On the eighth day for the criminal trial against prominent real estate developer George Pino, the defense started the day by bringing a witness to highlight injuries he suffered that led to the deadly boating accident over Labor Day weekend in 2022. Wednesday’s court appearance for Pino got off to a late start, beginning with the defense calling on a neurologist who described a concussion that the real estate mogul suffered in the crash which, his attorneys say, led to difficulties recalling the moments that led up to it. At noon, the neurologist was in the middle of testifying before the court. The doctor’s appearance in court comes after an emotionally charged day of testimony from witnesses aboard the boat, including friends of 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez, who was killed in the crash, and Pino’s wife, Cecilia Pino. During Tuesday’s testimony, Cecilia broke down into tears as she recalled the chaos that broke out in the immediate aftermath of the crash. “The whole time you’re in the water, did you even think about Mr. Pino?” the defense asked. “No. No, I didn’t,” an emotional Cecilia said. “I was just thinking of the girls.” Cecilia told jurors that she instructed the group of teenage girls on board of Pino’s 29-foot Robalo, who were celebrating his daughter’s birthday at Billy’s Point Sandbar, to jump into the water before the boat capsized after Pino struck a channel marker near Boca Chita Key. “When you first saw him, what did you see?” the attorney asked. “It was just a little head bobbing by the boat,” said Cecilia. Earlier on Tuesday, Pino’s defense team called to the stand Claudia Portocarrero and Natalia Reed, two young women who survived the crash. Both of them were childhood friends of Fernandez. “This is your friend Lucy, right?” the defense asked. “Yes,” said Portocarrero. “And you knew her for how long?” the defense asked. “My whole life, since I was 4,” said Portocarrero. In a defense of Pino, Portocarrero and Reed told the court that the crash came without warning. “Describe how that boat ride felt,” said the defense. “It felt like nothing out of the ordinary,” said Portocarrero. “Tell us about the speed of the boat,” the defense said. “I don’t remember feeling it going any faster than our past trips,” said Reed. State prosecutors have argued Pino was operating the vessel recklessly, alleging he was speeding and drinking at the time. Later on Tuesday, two good Samaritans testified in court about bringing Fernandez from the crash site to the dock and how Pino reacted in the aftermath. One of them, Angel Rodriguez, told jurors that Pino was not impaired. “When I was cleaning, I got, on purpose, close to him,” said Angel. “Did you notice an odor of alcoholic beverage coming from this person?” asked a defense attorney. “No, I didn’t. No,” said Angel. The other good Samaritan, Hamlet Rodriguez, said he arrived in his own boat after Pino’s vessel capsized and noticed Pino taking action to save Fernandez’s life. “When he went under the boat, he came out. He brought someone, and I jumped into the ocean right away, trying to help him. As soon as I approached him, he passed me the person. I have no idea who I was saving,” said Hamlet. Witness testimony is expected to continue Wednesday and Thursday. Closing arguments are set to begin on Monday. ...read more read less