BLOOMINGTON - A McLean County jury returned a $2.6 million verdict Wednesday in favor of the family of a Bloomington man who died of an asbestos-related illness.

John Watkins died Sept. 23, 2005, from mesothelioma. His widow, Ruth Watkins, and son, Scott Watkins, were represented by James Wylder and Lisa Corwin of Wylder Corwin Kelly of Bloomington.

According to the lawsuit, Watkins was exposed to asbestos when he worked at the Union Asbestos & Rubber Co., later known Unarco Industries Inc., in Bloomington during the summer of 1962 and 1963. He was not warned of the dangers of asbestos, the plaintiffs contend.

The jury found that Honeywell International Inc. "had conspired with other companies, including Unarco, Johns-Manville, Raybestos-Manhattan, Owens-Illinois, Owens Corning and Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. to suppress information about the hazards of asbestos, including an agreement not to warn their employees and customers about the hazards of asbestos," the family's lawyers said after the verdict.

Honeywell merged with Bendix, a company that owned the Unarco asbestos plant that used to be on West Perry Street.

The jury deliberated about four hours before reaching a verdict in the two-week trial.