Howell A. Petty, 56, drops dead in Cook County Sheriff's custody at Narcotics Bond Court

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.

Other than a bleeding rectum, there was no apparent signs of trauma. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday.