CROWN POINT | Lake County court officials mourned Wednesday the death of defense attorney Garry Weiss.
Weiss, 53, was one of four people who died Tuesday night in a three-vehicle crash at the Merrillville-Winfield border of 101st Avenue and Randolph Street.
The Crown Point resident's unexpected death shook the region's legal community.
Weiss was a practicing attorney for more than 25 years. He also was the chief public defender for Lake Superior Court Judge Jesse Villalpando since 2002.
"He was a first-class attorney in every respect," Villalpando said. "Over the years he became a very close and personal friend. His tragic death is a huge loss to not only our court but to me personally."
Villalpando said he will remember Weiss' "easy smile" and "unpretentious, down-to-earth" nature.
Weiss was well-known for his sense of humor and penchant for light-hearted pranks.
"Garry's charm and wit will always be remembered," Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez said. "He was always respectful and courteous to the bench and his follow attorneys. Garry was truly a professional and a great trial attorney. He will be noticeably missed."
Weiss' death came only one day after the end of his client Carlton Davis Jr.'s six-day trial for dogfighting charges. Davis was convicted of 22 of the 26 counts he was charged with, relating to hosting dogfights out of his Calumet Township home.
"(Weiss) was a true gentleman any time that I dealt with him," said Deputy Prosecutor Mark Watson, who tried the Davis case. "I thought he was an excellent lawyer, and I genuinely had a lot of respect for him. I didn't know him as well as I wished I did."
Attorney Jennifer Campbell said Weiss' death is akin to the loss of a family member. The two worked in the same Merrillville law office and knew each other for five years.
"It's hard to put into words," she said. "He was the best person I know. He was a testament to what an attorney should be and what a good person should be."
Weiss was a mentor in and out of the courtroom, officials said.
Lake County Bar Association President Scott Yahne said Weiss helped him navigate the legal world when he was starting out.
"He was always somebody who was extremely helpful and willing to lend a hand, particularly for someone who was starting out at the time," Yahne said.
Outside the courtroom, Weiss was active in Temple Israel in Gary's Miller neighborhood and the Lakes of Four Seasons community.
Rabbi Stanley Halpern said Weiss was on the temple's board of directors and a Sunday school teacher for eight to 10 years.
Weiss was an ideal teacher, Halpern said. The two men knew each other for 20 years.
"He believed in justice, in doing what is right," Halpern said. "And he instilled in the students he taught that same love ... the healing of the world."
Halpern said the funeral will be Friday, then there will be a traditional Jewish service for three nights at the family's home Saturday through Monday.
Weiss leaves behind a wife, Cindy, and a son and daughter.
