DA’s civil division chief placed on leave during review

After about six months in his new job, the chief of the civil division for the Tarrant County district attorney’s office was placed on paid administrative leave on Wednesday while a personnel matter is reviewed.

David Harris, 57, a former Southlake City Council member who returned to Tarrant County government after 17 years with the state attorney general’s office, was unavailable for comment on Thursday, said a woman who answered the phone at his residence.

Harris was one of several new hires made by Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson, who took office in January promising a streamlined and more efficient operation.

“I want people with the highest ethics I can find and the smartest people I can get on board,” Wilson said while introducing her new management team to Tarrant County residents.

Since the inquiry about Harris deals with a personnel matter, Wilson will have no further comment, said Samantha Jordan, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office.

“Civil division operations will continue to move forward without interruption,” Jordan said.

She declined by email to say who might take over Harris’ duties as civil chief while he is on leave and to explain how the inquiry might proceed or who was in charge of conducting the inquiry.

The Star-Telegram filed an open records request Thursday in an effort to obtain information concerning any complaints that have been made against Harris.

In a November 2014 news release naming Harris to her management team, Wilson said that Harris would act as general counsel for Tarrant County elected officials and appointed administrators, providing legal advice on a wide variety of topics.

“David has been a top attorney serving Texans as assistant attorney general under Greg Abbott for 17 years,” said Wilson. “Harris’ legal skills were honed in the public and private sector. David is well-rounded, believes in public service and understands we answer to the taxpayers. He is a hard worker who gets results. That is exactly what I was looking for to lead our civil division.”

The news release also included a quote from then Gov.-elect Greg Abbott, which said: “David’s intelligence and effectiveness has been valuable to me and the citizens of Texas. Judge Wilson has made an excellent choice for her leadership team and I wish her and David the very best in 2015 and beyond.”

Harris worked as a pro boxing judge from 1993 to 2008 and was a personal-injury lawyer in Southlake. He spent 15 years in private practice with the late Dallas lawyer and boxing referee Arlen “Spider” Bynum.

At the attorney general’s office, Harris represented state law officers and judges in lawsuits, which is how he met Wilson. In 2013, he was recognized by the San Antonio-based Texas Center for the Judiciary.

This report includes material from the Star-Telegram archives

This story was originally published July 9, 2015 at 6:04 PM with the headline "DA’s civil division chief placed on leave during review."