Claim Against DA Alleges Corruption, Discrimination, Harassment – May 8, 2012
Daniel Mintz
Eye Correspondent
HUMBOLDT – The District Attorney’s Office’s Legal Services Manager has filed a damage claim against the county alleging that District Attorney Paul Gallegos, former Assistant DA Wes Keat, Chief Investigator Mike Hislop and other management-level employees subjected her to “discrimination, harassment and retaliation.”
Filed by Jeannie Duncan, who’s who had been on administrative leave for the last six months at the time the lawsuit was filed, the claim alleges that a “hostile work environment” was spurred by her objections to “unlawful activity” in the office.
The claim states that Duncan questioned the use of the office’s resources for Gallegos’ re-election campaign, objected to “unlawful polygraph practices,” and questioned various activities of Hislop and Victim-Witness Supervisor Joyce Moser.
Other allegations include retaliation for complaints of sexual harassment made by Duncan “on behalf of herself and other females.”
Duncan is asking for damages in excess of $25,000.
The Board of Supervisors went into closed session at its meeting today, May 8, to discuss the claim but took no action it. Damage claims are usually referred to the county’s insurance provider and rejected, followed by litigation.
Correction: The county doesn’t handle claims as cities do. Instead, claims against the county are handled in-house by the Risk Management
Dept. The county can either deny the claim or negotiate settlement, based on results of risk management’s investigation.
A copy of the three-page claim with attorney cover letter appears below.
