By Malik Washington, Destination Freedom Media Group
“Business & Profession Code § 6068 contains general ethical requirements for attorneys. These include supporting the Constitution and laws of the United States and California; maintaining respect for the courts and judicial officers; counseling or maintaining only actions that appear legal or just…and never seeking to mislead a judge or judicial officer by a false statement of fact or law.”
~§2.6, General Ethics Requirements, California Criminal Law, Procedure and Practice 2 – Professional Responsibility authored by the Honorable Marcella O. McLaughlin
On May 23, 2025, the Honorable Jacqueline Scott Corley, U.S. District Court Judge set forth an Order scheduling an evidentiary hearing on Alameda County’s Motion to Enforce Settlement Agreement in the Gonzalez class action lawsuit. Daniel Gonzalez, et al. (Plaintiffs) v. County of Alameda, et al. (Defendants), Case No. 3:19-cv-07423-JSC. The evidentiary hearing is scheduled for August 19, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 8, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, California.
For those who are interested and I’m mainly speaking to media correspondents, community activists, and “REAL” movement lawyers, we are providing the link to Judge Corley’s recent Order so you may review it in its entirety.
Link to Judge Corley’s Order: https://1drv.ms/b/c/bd2dbf553c0a1145/EaOVvXTG72BEjJXQeCeDBzcBJ_KfGAwMY5WAz0I9fc19JA?e=cKFQsA
I am no stranger to the Gonzalez class action lawsuit at the Santa Rita Jail (SRJ). I was housed at this “Death Camp” for almost 18 months – from March 2022 through August 2023. During that time frame, approximately 10 detainees died at SRJ. The Gonzalez class action challenges a number of issues at SRJ, such as inadequate/subpar meals, unsanitary living conditions, as well as unconstitutional levels of heath care and treatment. Wellpath, the largest for-profit jail health care corporation in the United States, is still the provider of health care at the jail.
Wellpath’s $2.5 Million Settlement Raises Total Payouts to $9.5 Million in Death of Maurice Monk at Santa Rita Jail
Most of the claims against the Gonzalez Defendants have been settled or resolved. However, one dispute remains, and it has to do with the settlement agreement between the Gonzalez plaintiffs and the County of Alameda. What has transpired at SRJ is a travesty of justice. The most disheartening occurrence during the course of this litigation is the silence of the activists and community advocates who are supposed to be looking out for the interests of our incarcerated community members.
The attorneys for the incarcerated plaintiffs at SRJ have been accused of conspiring to withhold or defraud their clients out of a significant portion of a monetary settlement award that Alameda County agreed to pay them. What is remarkable in this case is that it was the counsel for the Defendants (Alameda County) and an incarcerated “whistleblower” named Darryl Geyer who challenged the narrative created by lead class counsel attorney, Yolanda Huang.
Ms. Huang’s stance appears to be that she had authority and the permission of her clients to waive their individual claims against Alameda County. As a result, she alleges that it is her to which $300,000 is due in compensation for her attorney’s fees and costs. Both Alameda County and Mr. Geyer beg to differ.
Mr. Geyer alleges that he and all other Gonzalez plaintiffs were misled and deceived by Ms. Huang and her co-counsels. If the allegations of Mr. Geyer are proven during the evidentiary hearing, the Court could sanction, move to suspend, or request that the State Bar of California disbar/discipline the offending attorney(s).
The Davis Vanguard has published a number of articles which bring into question the integrity of the State Bar of California. I have low confidence that they will protect the interests of these incarcerated Gonzalez plaintiffs. If the California State Bar did not protect the interests of Attorney Tom Girardi’s clients, who are free citizens, what makes anyone think that they will prioritize the health, welfare, and financial interests of incarcerated human beings.
The attorneys in question who are representing the Gonzalez plaintiffs are as follows:
- Attorney Yolanda Huang, Berkeley, California;
- Attorney Richard A. Brody, Sebastopol, California; and
- Attorney Thomas E. Nanney, Leawood, Kansas.
a
Our independent, nonprofit news organization was recently contacted by the whistleblower, Darryl Geyer. Mr. Geyer shared with us a copy of a powerful letter he sent to Gonzalez co-counsel attorney Richard A. Brody. The letter was sent in mid-February 2025. I share Mr. Geyer’s words with our readers, and I believe they present a compelling and heartbreaking story that should be shared nationally.
“Attorney at Law
Richard A. Brody, Esq.
1206 Beattie Lane
Sebastopol, California 95472
Re: Gonzalez v. County of Alameda, Case No. 3:19-cv-07423-JSC
Plaintiff Darryl R. Geyer
Dear Attorney Brody,
I wanted to write to you, as you are co-counsel in the Gonzalez litigation to reaffirm to you that at no time have I ever extended permission to either attorney Yolanda Huang, you, or any other attorney for that matter to waive, surrender, or to sacrifice the individual claims that I had against Defendants Alameda County or the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.
The individual claims that I had against the County defendants were the only claims which would have entitled me to a money damage award. It makes absolutely no sense and goes against logic to think that I or any other plaintiff would give up a money award in lieu of a “policy change” that would allow me to use a clean toilet brush the next time I find myself in Santa Rita Jail! Certainly not! The value of my individual claims alone were exceedingly high.
A brief recap for you:
I fell and cut my leg in the jail. I contracted a vicious and aggressive “Fecal” bacterial infection due to the deplorable and unsanitary conditions within the jail and the outpatient housing unit (OPHU) at SRJ. While confined in the OPHU, I was subjected to weeks of not being afforded the opportunity to shower. I was subjected to weeks and months without clean clothing and linen exchange. On many days, I wasn’t even fed.
Over the span of almost a year, the Defendants performed over twenty (20) surgical irrigation and debridement procedures on my knee, at times without anesthetic and always under unsanitary conditions. I was subjected to a year of shotgun antibiotics, administered orally, through injection, through IVs, topically and through a PIC line surgically implanted directly to my heart! The regime of harsh medicine alone was a torture in and of itself – that’s how sick I became at Santa Rita Jail.
It was only when the Defendants were going to have to perform an above-the-knee amputation of my left leg did they decide to transport me to Highland Hospital where I underwent two back-to-back major knee operations.
Mr. Brody, I lived through and witnessed nearly a year of the most unspeakable deprivations imaginable….So – no, no, no, I did not, nor would I have agreed to give what I deserved up! What is actually happening here is that attorney Huang thought that she could use me and the other plaintiffs. I’m actually very curious of what your monetary evaluation of my claims alone would have been, sir?
For the record, although I suspect you may be aware, attorney Huang had never explained nor articulated to me that I would be giving up my individual claims. In truth, she went to great lengths to conceal it and would only ever mail me a blank signature page to sign all the while giving the impression that it was in regards to “injunctive relief” only claims.
Attorney Huang committed fraud and very deceptively misstated and misrepresented the facts in order to manipulate me and coax me into entering an agreement which essentially would void all of my viable, valuable, and meritorious claims against the County Defendants. This is not a mistake or an accident or some miscommunication between her and I.
She (Huang) tried to steal from me through fraud. It’s as clear as day, Mr. Brody! I’ve just logged more of her letters to me with the court proving such, and I have others as well.
I’m actually very curious, and you can rest assured that I’m actively trying to discover if some of the other plaintiffs were even aware that attorney Huang had alleged individual claims on their behalf, or if they, too, were victimized by her fraud.”
THE END OF DARRYL GEYER’S LETTER
Here are the links to Darryl Geyer’s story and podcast interview with KPFA:
https://kpfa.org/featured-episode/covid-after-santa-rita-jail/ (second)
https://kpfa.org/featured-episode/housing-after-santa-rita/ (third)
These are strong allegations by Mr. Geyer, and he will have his day in court. I predict that the evidentiary hearing which is scheduled for August 2025 will be absolutely explosive. Here, we list the certified class and 11 plaintiffs named in the Gonzalez class action:
- Daniel Gonzalez;
- Lawrence Gerrans;
- Shedrick Henry (named as Cedric Henry);
- Randy Harris;
- David Misch;
- Tikisha Upshaw;
- Eric Wayne;
- James Mallet;
- Rasheed Tucker;
- Timothy Phillips;
- Darryl Geyer (pro se); and
- Certified class (all current and former detainees at SRJ).
If you are a friend or loved one of any of these individuals, I highly recommend that you send them a copy of this news article today and alert them that if they wish to provide a written submission in advance of this court-ordered evidentiary hearing, they must do so by AUGUST 5, 2025.
ATTENTION: ALL HANDS ON DECK!
Darryl Geyer needs the community’s help in finding a malpractice attorney that will consider representing him. Here is Darryl’s address. If you can’t recommend a malpractice attorney, at the very least, drop him a line in the spirit of mutual aid and solidarity.
Darryl Geyer #516032
County Jail #3
1 Moreland Drive
San Bruno, California 94066
I send this song and video out to the activist community in San Francisco, Oakland, and beyond. Some people may have forgotten who I TRULY AM, and who exactly are the people that we should be fighting for. The song and video is “Brand New Me” by Alicia Keys. LISTEN TO THE WORDS, THERE’S A MESSAGE FOR THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING.
Malik Washington is a freelance journalist and Director at Destination: Freedom and Destination Freedom Media Group. For over twelve years, Malik has been a published journalist and news reporter focusing on criminal justice issues, conditions of confinement in jails and prisons, as well as hot-button political issues. You can reach him via email: mwashington@destination-freedom.org
Suggestions or Leads on Stories Are Always Welcome
