Found Deceased WY - Gabby Petito, Grand Teton National Park #87

[TL4S]

I seriously doubt the FBI advises anyone to file a civil lawsuit against someone else.

JMO

I'm mainly just curious why the Ls went criminally charged.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Why aren’t Brian Laundrie’s parents facing charges?

The FBI closed the books on the Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie investigation on Friday. Investigators say Brian’s notebook contained writings in which he confessed to the murder of his fiance, Gabby Petito.

nbc-2.com

“Because they did not actively participate in the crime nor did they actively hide him from the police,” said Pamella Seay, a law professor at Florida Gulf Coast University.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/27/us/brian-laundrie-mother-letter-gabby-petito/index.html

“It would be very difficult to embroil her into an accessory-after-the-fact type of crime when she hasn’t taken any substantial step towards the commission of that crime,” CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson said of Laundrie’s mother. “So I would be on the side of no criminal exposure whatsoever.”

 

[ch_13]

I seriously doubt the FBI advises anyone to file a civil lawsuit against someone else.

JMO

Officially, no. But maybe someone who was a part of the investigation told the Petito's, "There's a lot they're not telling you and the only way to pry it out of the Laundrie's is with a lawsuit."

I say that because it does seem like the Petito's had some inkling that there were a lot of secrets that the Laundrie's were keeping and didn't want disclosed. (Like the infamous letter and the Wyoming lawyers.) Maybe they were hearing rumors and scuttlebutt, or maybe someone from law enforcement was feeding them info. And I don't even mean to suggest that anything untoward was going on. Victims' families are often told of developments that are not made known to the general public.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Officially, no. But maybe someone who was a part of the investigation told the Petito's, "There's a lot they're not telling you and the only way to pry it out of the Laundrie's is with a lawsuit."

I say that because it does seem like the Petito's had some inkling that there were a lot of secrets that the Laundrie's were keeping and didn't want disclosed. (Like the infamous letter and the Wyoming lawyers.) Maybe they were hearing rumors and scuttlebutt, or maybe someone from law enforcement was feeding them info. And I don't even mean to suggest that anything untoward was going on. Victims' families are often told of developments that are not made known to the general public.

I'm not sure I like the idea of law enforcement giving people legal advice and secretly helping one side of a civil suit.

JMO.

 

[TL4S]

Officially, no. But maybe someone who was a part of the investigation told the Petito's, "There's a lot they're not telling you and the only way to pry it out of the Laundrie's is with a lawsuit."

I say that because it does seem like the Petito's had some inkling that there were a lot of secrets that the Laundrie's were keeping and didn't want disclosed. (Like the infamous letter and the Wyoming lawyers.) Maybe they were hearing rumors and scuttlebutt, or maybe someone from law enforcement was feeding them info. And I don't even mean to suggest that anything untoward was going on. Victims' families are often told of developments that are not made known to the general public.

All we know is the FBI met with the Ps shortly before they closed the case. That's to be expected, I think. JMO.

https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/fiel...investigative-update-on-gabrielle-petito-case

Like you said, the Ps had to have gotten this information from somewhere. I didn't mean to suggest the FBI was doing anything underhanded in telling the Ps to file a civil suit, but the Ps did seem to know things that likely came from LE, involving the Ls, which could have simply been part of the investigation. I think their lawyer likely got warrants (maybe subpoenas) for some of this information, too, like bank records, phone records, etc. JMO, and IANAL.

 

[cnmccarthy]

They may not have known the exact method that Brian used to murder Gabby, but IMO it's now clear that the Laundrie's knew that he killed her. Not only did they become aware of her death even earlier than was generally supposed but they also seem to have had at least a general idea of the location of her body.

From the article:

• Laundrie told his parents in a “frantic” phone call on Aug. 29, 2021, “that Gabby was ‘gone’ and he needed a lawyer
• Laundrie’s parents relayed that information to Bertolino...That same day, Bertolino entered into a fee agreement with Fleener Peterson LLC, a criminal defense firm in Laramie, a six-hour drive from where Petito’s remains were found.
• Bertolino confirmed to Fox News Digital Friday that he collected a $25,000 retainer from the Laundries and used it to pay Fleener Peterson.
• Bertolino also contacted other firms in the state, including a public defender in Teton County, where Petito’s remains were recovered Sept. 19, 2021

Or does someone have an alternate explanation for why the Laundrie's would pay a $25,000 retainer to hire a defense attorney in Wyoming before the Petito's even knew that Gabby was missing?

It’s absolutely heartless. My jaw was on the floor when I read this. All I can picture is these three people went CAMPING when they all knew that her body was still out there in the wilderness and the cold. Two parents themselves who were going to welcome this girl into their family and she had lived with them for a bit.

It’s sickening. The least they could’ve done was call in an anonymous tip to the police to let them know where her body was??!

IMO of course.

 

[cnmccarthy]

I'm mainly just curious why the Ls went criminally charged.

Same. Because of them police resources were wasted trying to find Gabby and I thought if you had knowledge of a dead body you could be accessories after the fact?

 

[TL4S]

Same. Because of them police resources were wasted trying to find Gabby and I thought if you had knowledge of a dead body you could be accessories after the fact?

I guess we don't know for sure that they knew where she was. It seems SB is saying they didn't, and he told them not to talk to BL about it, but to directed them to have have BL call him instead. I wonder if SB knew, specifically, where GP was (other than maybe within Teton Co.)?

 

[Dhighsmith]

Same. Because of them police resources were wasted trying to find Gabby and I thought if you had knowledge of a dead body you could be accessories after the fact?

I may not have terminology exact but from what I recall, Florida statutes exempt parents from prosecution for having knowledge of criminal activity by a child and refusing to disclose information. It’s been some time now so I no longer have link to the exact statute.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

He said that "Gabby was 'gone' and he needed a lawyer," according to the filing that was made public on Thursday.

Perhaps the Laundries assumed BL was saying that Gabby was 'gone" because they got in another fight and he psychically harmed her which resulted in her leaving. Therefore he needed a lawyer because he knew he was in legal trouble for this.

"Brian was incoherent, beside himself, and couldn't communicate," Bertolino said.
He has also claimed Brian's parents were unaware of the murder because of the state Brian was in.

Gabby Petito's fiancé hired lawyer of bin Laden's associate before she vanished

A NEW lawsuit filing has revealed that Brian Laundrie secured a legal team days before Gabby Petito was reported missing. Brian lawyered up with a powerful firm using his parents’ money, acco…

www.the-sun.com

 

[ch_13]

Perhaps the Laundries assumed BL was saying that Gabby was 'gone" because they got in another fight and he psychically harmed her which resulted in her leaving. Therefore he needed a lawyer because he knew he was in legal trouble for this.

Gabby Petito's fiancé hired lawyer of bin Laden's associate before she vanished

A NEW lawsuit filing has revealed that Brian Laundrie secured a legal team days before Gabby Petito was reported missing. Brian lawyered up with a powerful firm using his parents’ money, acco…

www.the-sun.com

A lawyer that wants a $25,000 retainer for a domestic violence incident? IMO, that strains credulity.

 

[Dhighsmith]

A lawyer that wants a $25,000 retainer for a domestic violence incident? IMO, that strains credulity.

I’m sure there was an indication of the severity of his actions but in prep for his defense refused to be privy of specific details to avoid conflict of interest should BL testify in a criminal trial.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

A lawyer that wants a $25,000 retainer for a domestic violence incident? IMO, that strains credulity.

I don't know how much lawyers charge. I assume some charge more than others for their services.

Aggravated assault and battery is a serious felony charge in Wyoming which could bring a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

2022 Wyoming Statutes :: Title 6 - Crimes and Offenses :: Chapter 2 - Offenses Against the Person :: Article 5 - Assault and Battery :: Section 6-2-502 - Aggravated Assault and Battery; Female Genital Mutilation; Penalty.

Justia Free Databases of U.S. Laws, Codes & Statutes

law.justia.com

 

[Sundog]

I'm mainly just curious why the Ls went criminally charged.

Likely because they didn't commit any crime.

 

[TL4S]

Likely because they didn't commit any crime.

That's kind of what I'm saying. Whatever they did was apparently not against the law, which is important to remember. I understand the ethical standards can be much different, though. We don't yet know exactly how much the Ls knew about what happened, but if the Ps can prove that they knew GP was dead and where her body was, even before she was "missing," I think a civil suit is totally justified. JMO.

 

[Sundog]

That's kind of what I'm saying. Whatever they did was apparently not against the law, which is important to remember. I understand the ethical standards can be much different, though. We don't yet know exactly how much the Ls knew about what happened, but if the Ps can prove that they knew GP was dead and where her body was, even before she was "missing," I think a civil suit is totally justified. JMO.

Agree, civil lawsuits have different standards, but I wouldn't necessarily call them "ethical standards" but rather "civil law standards."

 

[LinasK]

I may not have terminology exact but from what I recall, Florida statutes exempt parents from prosecution for having knowledge of criminal activity by a child and refusing to disclose information. It’s been some time now so I no longer have link to the exact statute.

That law clearly needs to be changed. Sorry, I've never been on Team Laundrie.

 

[Trooper]

A lot of dirty linen still left to rinse out in regard to the Laundrie's...... Their stoic performance was a dead giveaway that they knew more, much more than everyone except Brian, who knew everything.

 

[Gardenista]

Wow! BL hired a defense attorney -- via parents & Bertolino -- days before Gabby's parents called asking about the pair!!!

MSN

Brian Laundrie retained high-powered defense team 9 days before Gabby Petito reported missing: lawsuit

Brian Laundrie retained a high-powered defense team in Wyoming with his parents’ money more than a week before his fiancée Gabby Petito was reported missing

nypost.com

I really hope we get to watch or read those depos some day.

 

[al66pine]

Brian L & WY law firm?
"The bombshell new information was unveiled in the latest amended complaint filed by the Petitos' lawyer, Pat Reilly, after he deposed the Laundries and Bertolino." the-sun.com* Dec & 2

Was this info about Brian & WY law firm retained as counsel for him unknown to general public until the P's amended complaint was filed by atty Pat Reilly?

IOW, was it actually "new" news or a retread we sometimes see in tabloids? TiA

_________________________________
* ^ Gabby Petito's fiancé hired lawyer of bin Laden's associate before she vanished Dec. 1 & 2.