High Court Refuses To Delay Calif. Prison Releases

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Friday refused to delay a court order for California to release nearly 10,000 inmates by year's end to improve conditions in state prisons.

The court rejected a plea from Gov. Jerry Brown, over the objections of three justices. Brown argued the early release would jeopardize public safety.

Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas said they would have granted the state's request.

The court ruled 5-4 in 2011 that the state must cut its inmate population to deal with unconstitutional prison conditions caused by overcrowding.

State officials said conditions have improved dramatically since a lower court order in 2009. The order calls for the population to be cut to about 110,000 inmates.

Scalia, joined by Thomas, said the state's evidence shows that it has made "meaningful progress" and that such reductions in the inmate population are no longer necessary.

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