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CITY OF OAKLAND
ONE F R A N K H. O G A W A P L A Z A • 6 TH F L O O R • O A K L A N D , C A L I F O R N I A 94612 Office of the City Attorney
Barbara Parker
City Attorney
FAX:
TDD:
(510) 238-3601
(510) 238-6500
(510) 839-6451
July 19, 2022
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
Oakland, California
Subject: Wilson Riles, Jr. v. City of Oakland, Officer Jorge Yauger, Officer Bryant, Ocampo, Michael [ sic] Legault, Richard Fielding, Traci Campbell Block, Cecilia Sevilla, Officer Jonathan Low, Officer Alexandra Lowe, and DOES 5 through 10
United States District Court, Northern District of California, Case No. 3:20-cv-06869-JCS
City Attorney’s File No. 33973
(Oakland Police Department and Planning &Building Department – Civil Rights)
President Fortunato Bas and Members of the City Council:
Pursuant to Section 401 of the Charter, the City Attorney has prepared and requests your approval of a resolution authorizing compromise and settlement of the claims of plaintiff Wilson Riles, Jr. in the above-entitled lawsuit for the sum of Three Hundred Sixty Thousand Dollars and No Cents ($360,000.00), payable to Plaintiff Riles in the manner his counsel specifies.
This action arises from events that took place on October 17, 2019 at the offices of the City’s Planning and Building Department (“PBD”). That day, Plaintiff Riles, who identifies as a Black man, went to PBD offices to complain about issues relating to a property inspection. At some point, Plaintiff Riles entered a restricted area for City employees only and refused to leave.
Oakland Police Department officers subsequently responded to calls for assistance and eventually arrested Plaintiff Riles. In his lawsuit, Plaintiff Riles alleges causes of action, including racial discrimination, retaliation, unlawful arrest, and excessive force, against the City and the individual co-defendants. The City denies any wrongdoing or liability and does not admit any of Plaintiff Riles’ allegations.
The City Council authorized settlement of this case in Closed Session on T hursday, May 5, 2022 (moved by Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan and seconded by Councilmember Carroll Fife - 5 Ayes, 1 Absent - Councilmember Noel Gallo, 2 Abstentions - Councilmember Dan Kalb and Councilmember Loren Taylor).
Respectfully submitted,
BARBARA J. PARKER
City Attorney
Assigned Attorney:
Andrew S. Huang