Media, onlookers hope for glimpse of Brinkley at court

BY ARIELLE BRECHISCI | lidesk@newsday.com

8:08 PM EDT, July 2, 2008

The media came prepared for the long haul.

The grass at the John P. Cohalan court complex in Central Islip was dotted with lawn chairs that reporters and photographers had placed under oak trees, where they would sit and wait for hours for fleeting appearances of the players in the Christie Brinkley divorce case.

Aside from Brinkley herself, the biggest ruckus was caused in the morning by Diana Bianchi, the 21-year-old woman who had an affair with Cook during his marriage to Brinkley.

As the throng jostled for position, Bianchi kept her head down and her oversized, brown sunglasses on. Dressed in a conservative white ruffled shirt and a high-waisted gray pencil skirt, she didn't smile or speak as she ducked into the backseat of a black Saab S90.

Shortly after 3 p.m., another media frenzy was set off by Alexa Ray Joel, daughter of Brinkley and Billy Joel, who arrived in a black Chevrolet Suburban SUV. Joel, who testified, was all smiles as she left at around 4:45, saying it was "a good day in court" for her mother.

Some onlookers also waited to get a glimpse of the action. Barry and Maddy Piatti, of Deer Park, said they waited for 21/2 hours after Barry finished jury duty to see Brinkley and her family. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing for us," said Maddy, 55. "We've been to Rodeo Drive and never saw any stars."

Melissa Kennedy, 24, of Bohemia, had come to Family Court for a friend's case but vowed to see Brinkley. "She's gorgeous. She's 54 years old and she's just beautiful. ... I'm going to stay until she comes out."

Brinkley didn't disappoint. She emerged shortly after 5 p.m., after Cook left, to the furious clicking of cameras. Walking through a path lined with yellow caution tape toward a waiting Toyota Highlander hybrid, she told reporters: "It was a really long day."