SAN FRANCISCO -- An attorney for two brothers who survived a tiger attack on Christmas said he planned to sue zoo publicists for "character assassination" after repeated suggestions the young men provoked the incident.

San Francisco Zoo administrators knew the wall surrounding the tiger habitat, at 12 1/2 feet high, "couldn't hold a house cat," charged attorney Mark Geragos, who represents brothers Kulbir and Paul Dhaliwal.

Geragos made the charge in a letter to San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera and Deputy City Attorney James Hannawalt that was released to The Associated Press on Monday.

Geragos wouldn't elaborate on his allegation that zoo officials had been told the enclosure wasn't safe before the attack happened. He said the information came from interviews with a former zoo employee and a consultant whose names couldn't be released during the ongoing investigation.

Following the tiger's escape, and its deadly mauling of 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr. and the serious injury of the Dhaliwal brothers, San Francisco Zoo Director Manuel Mollinedo said that "something happened to provoke that tiger to leap out of her exhibit."

Geragos said the public relations team hired by the zoo has continued to pursue a strategy of blaming the victims. He said he is planning to file a defamation lawsuit against the public relations agency, Singer Associates, which has offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

"In an attempt to distract attention from its failure to ensure the safety of its patrons, a so-called crisis management team hired by the zoo has made repeated media attacks on the Dhaliwal brothers," wrote Geragos. "On a daily basis these agents of the zoo have made numerous false statements which constitute actionable defamation."

Sam Singer, the zoo spokesman Geragos referred to in his letter, said the agency has only provided factual information intended to shed light on what happened.

"We've impugned no one's character," Singer said.

Among the examples of false information disseminated to the media were a reference to slingshots being found in the victims' car, and a report that the young men had been drinking in an establishment near the zoo. Both later proved false.

Singer said neither statement came from his office.

"They're patently false," he said. "Mr. Geragos' batting average for accuracy is between slim and none."

Geragos' letter also emphasized his clients have cooperated fully with the police.

He said that San Francisco police, who have an ongoing investigation into the mauling, have told him they will not pursue criminal charges against the brothers. However, police spokesman Sgt. Steve Mannina said Monday that no decision has been made on whether to seek charges in the case.

Geragos' letter comes in response to a letter the city attorney sent Geragos on Friday, asking him to preserve any photographs or call logs that were on his clients' cell phones before the Dec. 25 mauling.

The city attorney claims the brothers have refused to let investigators examine the contents of their phones.

"There's no evidence of taunting, and they've been cooperative," Geragos said. "All of this is a concerted effort to destroy their reputation in the public mind."

Matt Dorsey, spokesman for the city attorney's office, said Monday that Geragos has still not responded to the office's request to preserve evidence found in the brothers' cell phones.

"We've received the letter, but our question hasn't been answered," Dorsey said.

Also Monday, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said the city's Recreation and Parks Department Commission will hold a series of public hearings to determine how the city can prevent similar attacks from happening again.