Manitobaboy says on 4/Feb/08
Isn't it Hugh O'Connor? Hugh O'Connor was Carroll O'Connor's adopted son and co-star in In the Heat of the Night. He died in the 90's of a drug overdose.

For the record, 5'8" would seem about right as he wasn't a tall character (not even as tall as Carroll, who isn't very tall - maybe 5'8.5" in the 1980's)