Garthia Halbert, a candidate in Columbus’ mayoral race, agreed before a lunacy hearing in Lowndes County Chancery Court on Thursday to seek treatment at Community Counseling Services.
Halbert is seeking election as a Republican candidate. She is a former Dispatch managing editor.
Gawyn Mitchell, a special master appointed by the court chancellors, presided over Halbert’s hearing.
“She will not be institutionalized,” Mitchell said. “She will have outpatient care at Community Counseling Services here in Columbus.”
Halbert faced a similar hearing in 2012, though Mitchell said during the proceeding that case did not advance. The details of the case are sealed under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
It’s presently unclear whether Halbert will continue her campaign for the mayor’s office. She did not respond to calls for comment after the hearing.
The qualification period for the municipal election ends at 5 p.m. on March 3. After that, candidates have to be approved by their party’s executive committee.
Robert Wilbur, chairman for the Republican Executive Committee, said the committee will review candidates for approval on March 6.
Wilbur could not say what impact Halbert’s hearing might have on her approval, but he said the issue would carry some weight with the committee.
“Everything pertaining to a candidate has to be taken into consideration,” Wilbur said. “When you see an article like the one that was on the front page of (Thursday’s Dispatch, which announced the hearing), we have to take that into consideration.
“With every candidate, we do all kinds of things, like verifying they’re a registered voter and verifying where they live,” he added. “We do background checks. She won’t be treated any differently than anyone else.”
Seeking treatment
Mitchell, in an interview with The Dispatch after Thursday’s court proceedings, said if someone agrees to seek treatment, it’s up to them to follow through with it. Whether someone is sent to a mental health facility depends on doctor recommendations.
“Generally, it’s better for people to be part of the process than to be made to do something,” Mitchell said. “If doctors recommend follow-ups, they can go to an in-house institution.”
Mitchell said most people from Lowndes County who are committed to a mental health facility go to East Mississippi State Hospital in Meridian.
It’s not uncommon to see repeat cases in lunacy hearings. Mitchell noted, though, if someone agrees to seek voluntary treatment and then fails to do so does not automatically mean they will be sent to a mental health institution.
“We’re pretty much tied to what the evidence says, which includes the medical report and opinions in the file,” Mitchell said. “If that happens, all you can do is consider it with the evidence.”
Hal McClanahan, an attorney appointed to represent Halbert during the hearing, said he could not discuss the specifics of the case. However, he believes the hearing went well.
“Through the professionalism of the city of Columbus’ police officers, the staff at Baptist Behavioral Health Services, the commitment division for the chancery court of Lowndes County, the system worked perfectly,” he said.
Case background
According to reports the city provided in response to a Dispatch open records request, Halbert went to the police department to file a report at 6 a.m. on Feb. 13. She demanded to speak to Police Chief Oscar Lewis, rather than the responding officer, and at one point was escorted from Mayor Robert Smith’s office for harassing his administrative assistant.
Later that morning, the responding officer was driving Halbert to a residence on Highway 373 when she attempted to exit the car as it passed Kroger on Highway 45. She then got out of the car when the officer stopped and started walking to Wal-Mart.
She was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle’s mental health unit, where the officer later had to assist in restraining her.
On Thursday, Mitchell said the responding officer filed the affidavit resulting in Halbert’s hearing.
Halbert does not face criminal charges in the incident.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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