High court won't extend Calif. prison deadline

Posted 49m ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has turned down California's request to delay a federal court order related to state prison overcrowding.

The justices refused in a brief order Friday to extend a deadline beyond Sept. 18 for telling a special three-judge panel how California will reduce its inmate population by 40,000, roughly a quarter, over two years.

The judges called for the reduction so that the state can improve medical and mental health care for prison inmates.

While rejecting the state's plea for a delay, the court noted that the three-judge panel has agreed not to put a final order into effect until after the justices have had a chance to review its decree.

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