OXNARD : City Attorney’s Decision Criticized

A prominent attorney has publicly accused Oxnard City Atty. Gary Gillig of squandering thousands of taxpayer dollars by refusing to recommend that the City Council settle a case that warranted compromise.

Oxnard attorney Joseph D. O’Neill’s clients last week received more than $25,000 in damages, interest and court costs related to the 6-year-old civil case.

He told council members Tuesday that Gillig gave them dubious legal advice when he repeatedly recommended the city oppose rather than pay a $854 medical claim six years ago.

“I’m walking away with several thousand dollars,” O’Neill told the council, “when this could have been settled for $854 in 1988.”

The city lost an arbitration ruling and a subsequent jury trial. The state Court of Appeal upheld the jury award in a ruling last September.

Gillig made no comment to the council following O’Neill’s statement, and Gillig also failed to return subsequent phone calls seeking comment.

O’Neill said he was retained by 11 members of an Oxnard household that police mistakenly entered six years ago. A police dog subsequently injured two members of the home, another man was beaten by police and eight others filed lesser claims, O’Neill said.

The attorney said he chose to make the council aware of what he thought was bad legal advice on Gillig’s part because O’Neill also is an Oxnard resident. Councilman Michael A. Plisky said Wednesday that he would look further into the case.

“It doesn’t sound good, but I’m not willing to accept that damning implication until I’ve gotten the facts,” Plisky said. He also said he is “generally satisfied” with Gillig’s performance.