I happen to agree. I also think that Mr. Bertolino has been underestimated by the public here and, quite possibly, by the North Port Police Deaprtment... maybe even somewhat by the FBI. Bertolino has, in effect, told them to do their job. He has - IMO - clearly indicated that any mis-steps will cost the "people". And, I think it's been taken to heart. He seems to me to have an admirable grasp on the law... and how to apply it's principles. Maybe he wasn't the "rube" lowly real estate guy as some disparaged him. I dunno. I respect folks for not 'liking' him.
He apparently has criminal experience. I think the Laundries called him because they knew him. Not that it matters what connection is. Some mistakes and misspellings, have been made but they are relatively minor.
I do believe that he was surprised by the deluge of public interest snd opinion. Most cases like this get nothing like the focus this one has. I don’t know if he would have done things differently had he known. It depends upon what he was told by his clients. That’s a big deficit we have— we do not know what BL told parents or attorney. They have to use the information he gave them because what else would they know? They and he (BL) could have lied or misrepresented, hidden info.
But right now, Bertolino has reacted exactly the way a good criminal defense lawyer should to give clients most protection possible.
For all we know, BL told parents nothing. Just that he needed to talk to a lawyer. And the lawyer then telling Laundries that they are better and BL is better off if they all say nothing and no discussion of situation, and act normally.
i don’t know what FL laws are for reporting missing person. Laundries could not legally prevent adult son from leaving house. He could have just said, he needed to take walk to clear head a bit, going to those preserves. Could be a favorite spot of his so parents knew where he would likely park the car.
Where I blame the parents is the stonewalling of all info on Gabby. They could have mounted missing persons report sooner and known right then that she was left alone in the park. They really had no information. But then, that’s in BL’s favor, now. No one knows when he parted ways with GP, dead or alive. And leaves doubt in what possibly could have happened