Prison System Won’t Face Contempt Hearing on Staffing

Alabama won’t face possible federal court sanctions for failing to meet mental health staffing targets after reaching an agreement with attorneys for inmates.

A contempt hearing was canceled after attorneys told a judge that they reached a compromise on how to measure compliance with his order to boost mental health staff.

Attorney Maria Morris, who represents the inmates, says they believe the state failed to meet the deadline, but agreed to temporarily drop the contempt motion.

U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson must approve the agreement.

Attorneys for inmates filed a contempt motion last year saying the state is “woefully short” of required staffing levels. The prison system disputed the allegation.

Thompson ruled in 2017 that prison psychiatric care was “horrendously inadequate” and ordered the state to make changes.

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