Judge Guy Williams has checked himself in to a treatment facility, his attorney confirmed with KRIS 6 News.
Judge Williams entered the Warriors Heart facility in San Antonio last month to get treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Williams made headlines when he was indicted on two felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, accused of pointing his gun at two people after cutting off their vehicle in April of 2017.
This past March, a jury acquitted Williams of one felony count, but deadlocked on a second felony count. The second felony count has since been dismissed.
The judge was suspended from the bench by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct after the felony charges were filed. That suspension was lifted after the dismissal of the aggravated assault case.
Judge Williams still faces separate misdemeanor charges for public intoxication and resisting arrest, stemming from an incident on Padre Island in May.
His attorney says Williams planned on seeking treatment, but waited until the trial ended.
“We’re just going to do whatever the people that are counseling him and helping him tell us to do. We’re going to follow their plan and hope that he gets the therapy he needs,” said attorney Lisa Greenberg. It’s been a long time coming, he’s been suffering since Vietnam.”
Judge Williams has been off the bench since November, but when the state Commission on Judicial Conduct lifted his suspension he was eligible to return to the bench.
Williams’ term runs until the end of the year. He did not file for re-election.
Since Williams’ suspension, 148th District Court cases have been handled by visiting judges. Those judges come from a group of 19 senior and former district court judges from around the 5th Judicial Region. There are no restirctions on what cases these judges can hear.
Court officials tell KRIS 6 News that visiting judges have presided over the 148th for a week at a time, twice a month, during Williams’ absence.
Williams’ attorneys say there’s no timetable for judge williams to come back to the bench.
“We’re going to take our time to make those kind of decisions,” said Greenberg. Right now our only goal is to get him the help he needs. We’re very proud of him for saying he needs the help and we hope that he can get it.”
Attorneys say me the only plan right now is for the Williams to finish his treatment, then they’ll work with the judge to decide when, or if, he’ll be back in court.
