Dallas County District Attorney Susan Hawk was well aware of her depression and her tendency to display behavior which her colleagues described as erratic. She sought professional help and treatment to contain her condition. Those actions made her fit to continue serving in public office, ruled the presiding judge who then dismissed a removal petition from the State of Texas which argued that Hawk's tendency towards paranoia and delusion affected her competence and ability to carry out her duties.
In a breaking news by WFAA Bexar, County Judge David Peeples ruled a dismissal against the petition filed against Hawk made in 2015. Although no reason was given, observers in the court opine that Peeples could have been won over by the arguments made by the attorneys representing Hawk. Douglas Alexander, Hawks' lead counsel, took the position that the District Attorney's removal from office due to a medical condition that she had admitted and is addressing would be fueled by an "archaic" mindset. He likened Hawk's "mental condition" and "severe depression" to a crippled government official who would be in a wheelchair. Removing a public servant simply because he could not use his legs was discrimination; the same would apparenlty hold true ofr Hawks, who Alexander maintained could still function properly on the job despite struggling with delusions and paranoia.
Alexander also argued that the "professional misconduct" lobbied against Hawks by her colleagues were simply "personality conflicts" regulary found in any office.
The details released by NBCDFW prior to the dismissal sounded more serious than what Alexander had made them out to be, especially because the allegations came from senior officials who had worked with Hawks closely. Jennifer Balido, Hawks' former administrative chief, claimed that the District Attorney had committed misuse of public funds. Bill Wirskye, a former supported, alleged that he had seen Hawks was a drug addict whose substance abuse brought the district attorney's office into a state of adminstrative gridlock.
Patrick Wilson, the Ellis Country District Attorney, felt the same way. He asserted that acknowledgment of the condition and treatment may be signs of progress, but are not a guarantee that Hawks can exercise the duties of her office, according to the Texas Lawyer.
All this became moot and academic in light of Peeples' recent ruling which cannot be subject to an appeal.
