Philadelphia judge upholds right to sue parents of Cosmo DiNardo

A Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas judge has rebuffed an effort to dismiss a civil lawsuit filed against the parents of convicted killer Cosmo DiNardo.

The recent ruling by Judge Shelly Robins-New was in response to a request by lawyers for DiNardo’s parents, Antonio and Sandra DiNardo, to dismiss the parental-liability claim in a pending lawsuit filed against them by the family of 19-year-old shooting victim, Jimi T. Patrick.

In her order, Robbins-New upheld the position of plaintiff’s attorney Carin A. O’Donnell of Stark & Stark, that the DiNardo’s can and should face filed civil claims that they failed in their lawful duty to protect others from possible harm at the hands of their son, O’Donnell said in a press release.

She argued in court filings that the parents’ responsibility was uniquely substantiated because of Cosmo DiNardo’s access to firearms and his documented history of disruptive and violent behavior. According to court documents, O’Donnell said in a press release, his violent conduct was not only well known to his parents, but was at times directed at them.

“We are pleased that the court has sustained the parental-liability claim in our complaint, which also includes claims of wrongful death and negligence, and look forward to rightfully pursuing this case – and the companion cases brought on behalf of the other three victims – being tried before a jury,” said O’Donnell.

“As argued in our pleadings, we assert that the DiNardo parents failed to keep guns, including the rifle used to murder Jimi Patrick, away from their son despite his extensive history of violent behavior, hospitalization for his mental illness, and his widely known affection for firearms; which meant he posed an undeniable danger to others.”

The civil lawsuits against the DiNardos and their affiliated businesses were filed in 2018 following the July 2017 murders in Solebury Township of Jimi Patrick, Dean Finocchiaro, Thomas Meo, and Mark Sturgis by DiNardo.

DiNardo’s cousin, Sean Kratz, was convicted of taking part in the killing of three of the four young men.

jarthur@buckscountyherald.com

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