Man facing drug charges dies at courthouse before bond hearing

A man died while waiting to appear before a judge on drug charges Thursday afternoon at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building.

Howell A. Petty, 56, died at 2:23 p.m. at the courthouse at 2650 S. California, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office and sheriff’s office spokeswoman Sophia Ansari.

Petty, of the 500 block of North Leamington, died as he was awaiting a bond hearing for a drug offense in Chicago, authorities said.

There were no apparent signs of trauma. An autopsy performed Friday was inconclusive pending further studies.