High Court Won't Hear California's Prison Appeal

The U.S. Supreme Court is letting a lower court ruling stand that says California is responsible for disabled parolees who are in county jails under the state's sweeping criminal justice realignment.

The high court declined without comment on Monday to consider Gov. Jerry Brown's appeal of a January 2012 decision by U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken of Oakland.

She ruled that state prison officials failed to monitor and protect former inmates who were returned to county jails instead of state prisons for parole violations. The 3-year-old law keeps most parole violators and lower-level offenders in county jails instead of state prisons.

It was a response to federal court orders that require the state to reduce its prison population.

The state argued that it isn't responsible for county inmates.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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