OHIO COUNTY, W.Va.

Attorney Robert Fitzsimmons, based in the Wheeling area, spoke to NEWS9's Natalie Herbick on Friday about the case surrounding his teenage client.

This is the first time anyone has spoken on her behalf since the investigation started.

The raw video from the interview can be viewed in the link attached to this story.

Below is part of the transcript.

Herbick: If you could first explain to me your role in this case.

Fitzsimmons: I represent the victim and her family and I kind of define my role as providing assistance and guidance to them and sometimes it's kind of a spooky thing to go through a lawsuit involving criminal charges, criminal charges are pending over in Steubenville in Jefferson County, and the victim's family sometimes is kind of left out and just doesn't have that communication as to what's going on and what to expect. So we've been employed to represent the family and I've been doing that for several months now. Representing the victim and the family, trying to define what's happening, what involvement and what role they'll actually play and also to look to see if there is other liability that may exist.

Herbick: What would you say is your main role as her attorney?

Fitzsimmons: In cases involving a lot of media attention and things like that, sometimes for the families they don't necessarily want that and a lawyer can provide kind of a buffer between the media and the court system, and it's also an extra person that's in their camp protecting them. And that's what I'm trying to do is to make sure that they're protected fully and they understand what's going on.

Herbick: How do you, your client, her family feel about the attention that this case is attracting? We have these Internet hactivists, anonymous that is wanting to step in and bloggers saying they are in support of her, in support of justice.

Fitzsimmons: I have my personal opinions as I'm sure everybody else does, but really on behalf of the family who I represent, I really don't have a comment as to that. It is what it is today and today is 2012, soon to be 2013, and the world's changed a little bit as to how these things are addressed, but that's about the most I can tell you.

Herbick: Do you believe that others should be charged with the crime, based on what you investigated or what you've seen?

Fitzsimmons: You know, I think when you ever ask anybody that question, people have their own personal opinions. I believe in our judicial system and our prosecutors and I believe that people bring the charges for the right reasons and I believe that there are many rights also for the people that are charged, before they're actually convicted or found not guilty. I think there are certain rights and all that. And I think that they deserve their day in court by a fair, neutral, detached jury and a judge and whatever it is it is and it will decide that and so I don't really have an opinion or concerns about what's being done. I'm sure the law enforcement officers are doing their job and I know the Attorney General's Office is also.

Herbick: A lot of people have doubted police, a lot of people doubted the local prosecutor before things got turned over to the state. They believe there is a coverup. Do you feel the same way?

Fitzsimmons: I don't have worries or concerns about that, I'm pretty sure our judicial system works pretty well, both in Ohio and West Virginia, and as a lawyer I've seen it work both ways -- sometimes you get a result you're unhappy with, and there's a certain group of people that are unhappy and sometimes the other side is happy. So, you can't please everybody in our judicial system, but it is the best system on the planet and it works pretty good, it really does.

Herbick: When do you expect to file a suit? Are you planning on filing a suit? And would any homeowners where this alleged drinking occurred be named defendants, or anyone else for that matter?

Fitzsimmons: I prefer not to answer that kind of question at this point; we're just not prepared to answer a question at this time.