The fatal shooting of a black teenager by a white police officer outside a suburban Dallas house party has prompted concerns from some community leaders about whether a new district attorney’s investigation will be sufficiently transparent and thorough.
But attorneys who have worked with Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson say her career of more than 30 years in the criminal justice system – including stints as a prosecutor, judge and attorney in private practice – has prepared her to deal with the intricacies and pressures of such a high-profile case.
“She’ll be up to the task and she will try to be as transparent as possible. She can handle it,” said Dallas defense attorney Heath Harris, who also has worked as a prosecutor with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.
Johnson is the first African-American female to serve as the district attorney in Dallas County. She was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott after the previous district attorney, Susan Hawk, resigned in September. Hawk had quit just a month after returning to work following inpatient treatment for mental illness.
Johnson was a Dallas County prosecutor from 1982 to 1989, serving as the county’s first black female chief felony prosecutor. After being appointed a judge in 1989, she served in that position for 17 years. She then spent 10 years in private practice before being appointed district attorney. Johnson’s seat is the only countywide seat held by a Republican in Dallas.