Gabby Petito Family' Lawsuit Against Police Can Lead to Drastic Actions, Expert Says
Gabby Petito's family has filed a $50 million lawsuit against the Moab police department.
An expert believes that if the final decision is upheld, officers involved in the Aug. 12, 2021 interaction between the slain YouTube vlogger and her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, could face severe repercussions.
Officers are covered by insurance coverage, according to Janeen Smith, who talked to The Sun. But imagine the Moab police force loses the Petitos case. In such instance, it will pave the way for rewarded or mandated improvements inside the agency, as well as disciplinary measures against its personnel.
Smith, an attorney familiar with these sorts of civil claims, stated that while Petito's family cannot compel criminal charges against each officer, a civil lawsuit can "spotlight improper behavior by government workers."
Utah cops were a memorable part of last year's most contentious saga, which ended with Brian Laundrie's suicide and his confession claiming responsibility for Gabby Petito's death.
Petito and Laundrie were already nearing the conclusion of their cross-country journey when Moab police responded to reports of a marital quarrel between them.
According police body camera footage obtained by news outlets, the 21-year-old Petito informed authorities that she and her fiancé had been arguing "all morning."
After listening to both sides for more than an hour, one of the officers stated that Petito was the "primary aggressor," and another officer stated that Laundrie was a "victim of domestic assault."
Despite the fact that they were separated for the night, no charges were brought against them.
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Gabby Petito Family Lawsuit Against Utah Police
Gabby Petito's family filed a $50 million wrongful death claim against Moab, Utah, police, accusing them of negligence in her death.
It charges the police department, three officers, and eight other unidentified individuals with "negligent failure" during an investigation into an alleged attack by Brian Laundrie weeks before her untimely death.
Petito's parents, Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, and step-parents Tara Petito and Jim Schmidt, claimed that her death was caused by the department's "wrongful acts or neglect."
Petito's body was discovered in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park on September 19 after a month-long countrywide search that captivated the country's attention.
Investigators ultimately established that she was strangled by Laundrie, who later admitted to murdering her before committing herself in a Florida swamp.
