Man charged with indecency over Pride parade outfit takes own life after losing discrimination suit

A California gay man who lost a 3-year legal battle with the San Diego Police Department has died at the age of 35 in an apparent suicide.

The San Diego Union Tribune reported Friday that Will X. Walters was found dead in his apartment on Wednesday night, although it's currently unclear how long he had been deceased. The county medical examiner is still investigating the case.

On Dec. 13, a federal jury ruled against Walters in a discrimination suit against the police stemming from his 2011 arrest at an LGBT Pride march in Balboa Park for wearing a gladiator costume that did not fully cover his backside.

Walters maintained that the arrest was discriminatory in that police policy “essentially allows thongs, g-strings, and other skimpy bathing suits to be worn by participants and attendees at straight special events, but not by attendees and participants at the one gay special event, Pride.”

His attorney Chris Morris said that Walters was completely shocked by the verdict, that his client immediately left the federal courthouse in downtown San Diego and did not respond to attempts by Morris or other friends to contact him.

Over the course of the suit, Walters had accumulated more than $1 million in legal costs.

“Will Walters was a valiant warrior for his cause, and he will be missed by those who knew him and the community he fought for,” said Morris.