The attorney representing Brian Laundrie’s family, Steve Bertolino, has filed a motion in a Florida court to block a request that would require him to disclose his private conversations with his deceased client. The request was made by the attorney for Gabby Petito’s parents as part of a civil lawsuit against the Laundrie family. The lawsuit alleges that the Laundries knew about Petito’s murder before her remains were found and attempted to help their son evade justice.
Bertolino’s lawyer, Laura Kelly, argued in the court filing that the motion made by Petito’s parents is both procedurally and substantively flawed. She stated that if the court were to accept the arguments made by the plaintiffs, it would undermine the attorney-client privilege that exists between countless clients and their legal counsel. Bertolino believes that forcing him to answer questions about his conversations with his client would be “catastrophic to the theory of the law which provides the basis for complete candor when clients communicate with their attorneys.”
However, Pat Reilly, the attorney for Petito’s parents, argued that the attorney-client privilege no longer applies in this case because Laundrie admitted to killing Petito. Reilly pointed to a handwritten note found near Laundrie’s remains in which he confessed to the crime. The note was recovered by the FBI and was first published by Digital last year.
The lawsuit also focuses on a statement issued by Bertolino on behalf of the Laundries on September 14, expressing “hope” that Petito would be found and reunited with her family. The lawsuit alleges that the statement is “outrageous” because the Laundries knew she was already dead.
The article provides background information on the case, stating that Petito was last seen alive in August 2021 while on a cross-country trip with Laundrie. Laundrie returned to his parents’ house alone in September, and Petito was reported missing soon after. Laundrie later fled to a swamp and is believed to have killed himself. Petito’s remains were discovered at a campsite they had shared, and Laundrie’s skeletal remains were found about a month later.
The article concludes by mentioning that the Petito family and the Laundrie family reached a $3 million settlement in the Petito family’s wrongful-death lawsuit against Brian Laundrie’s estate. It also includes a note about domestic violence and provides contact information for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Overall, the article focuses on the legal battle surrounding the disclosure of private conversations between Brian Laundrie and his attorney. It provides details about the arguments made by both parties and highlights the key events in the case.
