MONROE — The defendant in a reckless homicide case involving the heroin overdose death of a New Glarus man has himself died after being in poor health.

Kerwin Lamont Harvey, 63, Middleton, faced a reckless homicide charge that carries a maximum prison sentence of 40 years. The criminal complaint alleged Harvey, known as “Big C,” sold heroin on April 8 to a 30-year-old New Glarus man who fatally overdosed hours later.

A $10,000 cash bond was posted April 22 for Harvey to get out of jail. He died of natural causes five days later in a Dane County hospital, according to Green County District Attorney Craig Nolen, the prosecutor on the case.

The cash bond has been “returned to the party that posted it,” Nolen said.

Harvey was originally jailed on a $75,000 cash bond, but his attorney and Nolen jointly asked the court to lower it to an amount Harvey could afford to post so he could get out of jail and avoid hospitalization at county expense.

Chris Van Wagner, the defense attorney, said Harvey had “very substantial health issues” that were flaring up in the jail, related to a recent heart and stent surgery, and it was in the best interest of everyone involved for Harvey to be released to stay with family in Madison.