An Indiana correctional officer died Saturday from complications of COVID-19.
It was the first death of a state correctional officer as a result of contracting COIVD-19, the Indiana Department of Correction reported Sunday.
Gary Weinke, 67, was an officer at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, the department said in an emailed statement.
“Our condolences go out to his wife Naomi, his family, and his friends,” acting warden Frank Littlejohn said in the statement.
“He was a one-of-a-kind officer who touched the lives of many of those that he worked closest with. He will be truly missed.”
At least three detainees have died in Indiana prisons since the outbreak began.
Earlier this month the Indiana Supreme Court rejected a petition from the ACLU of Indiana to release jail and prison inmates at risk of COVID-19.
The ACLU’s request noted that prisons and jails were particularly vulnerable to disease outbreaks. And it urged the state to – at least temporarily – release jail and prison inmates who were in high-risk categories from the virus.
The Supreme Court, though, said the power to revise sentences and make release determinations rested at the trial court and county level.
For the latest news and resources about COVID-19, bookmark our Coronavirus In Indiana page here.
