Blue Point Family Continues Court Battle for Son's Property, Autopsy Report

A Suffolk County Supreme Court has denied a request by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office to dismiss an application by a Blue Point family seeking the autopsy report regarding the death investigation of their son, as well as the retrieval of personal effects from the son’s car which were confiscated by police following the deadly accident.

The legal firm representing Jo Ann and Luigi Schettino, whose 18-year-old son Billy was killed this past March by a car driven by a deputy county sheriff, plans to serve a notice of entry for a second hearing on the requests once the court’s decision is filed in the county clerk’s office.

Schettino, a Bayport-Blue Point graduate, was headed to college classes March 14 when his car became disabled after a hit and run incident on the LIE. He was awaiting help when he was struck and killed by a Suffolk County Sheriff's car driven by Richard Tedesco. The sheriff's department has stated sun glare was responsible for the accident.

“Once the court motion is filed we can serve a notice of entry for a re-hearing of our application,” said Matthew Bligh, an attorney with Rosenberg & Gluck, based in Holtsville. The DA’s office then has five days to answer that petition, said Bligh.

In an email last week the District Attorney’s office spokesperson said the investigation is continuing. Family and friends of Schettino have initiated an online petition calling for wrongful death charges against Tedesco.

The Schettino family has stated they have had no direct information from the DA on the status of the accident investigation and can’t understand why personal belongings or the autopsy report have yet to be released. They headed to court in mid May to get answers. In an exclusive interview with Patch, Jo Ann Schettino said she doesn't understand why she can't be given her son's phone, GPS or backpack.

Most of all the teenager’s mother wants the rosary beads that hung on her son’s car rear view window.

“How is having that part of the investigation,” she said. “There is also a Grateful Dead bracelet which is very important as Billy and his Dad were huge fans.”

Bligh said the DA’s office has reached out to the Schettino family to set up a meeting out of court, but with the stipulation that the family’s attorneys not attend.

“We told the DA that wasn’t going to happen,” said Bligh.