Overview

• After July 14 jury selection, opening statements began the next day with witness testimony in Manhattan Criminal Court
• Prosecutors played bystander and police footage showing Ryder collapse on West 45th Street in 84-degree heat while accusing McKeever of whipping the exhausted horse and denying it water
• Witness Caroline Londahl-Smidt described visible ribs, panting and slow movement as NYPD mounted officers testified to removing Ryder’s harness and applying ice
• Defense attorney Raymond Loving argued that Ryder tripped rather than overheated and emphasized McKeever’s nearly 30-year career and dedication to horse care
• The misdemeanor charge carries up to one year in jail or a fine and has reignited calls for tighter regulation or a ban on New York City’s horse-drawn carriages