Revealed
KILLER CONFIDANT
THE parents of Brian Laundrie have turned on their longtime lawyer saying he knows too much about Gabby Petito's case to be involved in the Petito family's lawsuit.
Gabby's parents, Joe Petito and Nichole Schmidt, are suing Brian's parents for “intentional infliction of emotional distress,” after the murder of their daughter.
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The lawsuit filed in March claims that Chris and Roberta Laundrie were aware their 23-year-old son had murdered his partner Gabby, 22, and chose not to act.
Months after the complaint was filed, the Petito family filed a motion in December to include the Laundries' family lawyer Steven Bertolino as a co-defendant in the suit.
The Petito family decided to file the Second Amended Complaint to add Bertolino, believing he was also aware of Gabby's murder before her body was found.
Pat Reilly, a lawyer for the Petito family, explained in December: “It is believed that at the time the September 14, 2021 statement was issued, the Laundries and Steven Bertolino knew that Gabby Petito was deceased.
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"And that under those circumstances, the statement was insensitive, cold-hearted, and outrageous."
On September 14, 2021, a lawyer representing the Laundries released the following statement: “On behalf of the Laundrie family it is our hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is re-united with her family."
“On the advice of counsel the Laundrie family is remaining in the background at this juncture and will have no further comment."
Before Gabby's remains were discovered on September 19, 2021, the Petitos' lawyer read a letter at a news briefing three days prior to the Laundrie family, begging for help in the case.
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“Please, if you or your family have any decency left, please, tell us where Gabby is located,” Richard Stafford said.
“Tell us if we are even looking in the right place. All we want is for Gabby to come home. Please help us make that happen.”
Chris and Roberta have since filed a defense against the motion to add Bertolino as a co-defendant, arguing that the lawyer, who acted as Brian's attorney before he died, knows more about the Petito case than his clients.
“Mr. Bertolino’s knowledge is certainly far more than the Laundrie parents,” the response filed on Tuesday said.
“Yet, he cannot disclose what he knows or the reasons why he took certain actions because, even after Brian Laundrie’s death, Mr. Bertolino still owes a duty of confidentiality to Brian Laundrie.”
Brian was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound on October 20, 2021, along with a notebook where he allegedly confessed to killing Gabby.
The Laundries claim, in part, that making Bertolino a co-defendant in the lawsuit will turn the family and their lawyer against one another.
“Pitting the Laundries and Mr. Bertolino as co-defendents undoubtedly creates a conflict because both have interest in defending themselves to the potential detriment of the other,” the response said.
“The Laundries should be able to defend this case without worrying whether their attorney will take an antagonistic position against them.”
“The Plaintiffs must choose to either proceed against the Laundries or Mr. Bertolino because they cannot both be liable.”
Bertolino brought up the importance of attorney-client privilege when speaking to WFLA.
He said: “One should expect that attorneys are confided in."
"That’s why our system affords clients privileged communications and lawyers certain immunities.”
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Judge Hunter W. Carroll will hear the motion on whether to add Bertolino as a co-defendant in the lawsuit on January 24.
Bertolino told The U.S. Sun that he has "no comment on this issue."
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