Judge Clears North Indiana County in Inmate’s Death

A federal judge has sided with a northern Indiana sheriff’s department in a lawsuit that alleged a jail inmate died after he wasn’t given proper care for his heart disease.

Fifty-seven-year-old Larry Walkup died at the Whitley County jail in November 2006, three months after the former insurance agent was convicted of bilking clients out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

An autopsy revealed that Walkup died of blockages in three arteries.

Judge Philip Simon in Fort Wayne issued a summary judgment for Whitley County, finding there was no evidence Walkup’s rights were violated at the jail in Columbia City.

The Journal Gazette reports Walkup had a history of high blood pressure and cholesterol, but court documents said he lost weight and weaned himself off prescription drugs while jailed.

Information from: The Journal Gazette