Judges Extend California Prison Overcrowding Deadline Again

Another 28 days to fix it

A panel of federal judges has given Gov. Jerry Brown an additional 28 days to come up with long-term solutions to the state's prison crowding problems.

In an order issued Monday, the judges moved the deadline for California to remove about 9,600 inmates from state lockups to Feb. 24, adding almost a month to their last deadline of Jan. 27. It previously was Dec. 31.

They also ordered the state to continue negotiating for solutions with lawyers representing California's 134,000 prisoners.

Monday was the deadline for a federal judge, Peter Siggins, who was assigned to mediate those confidential talks, to report on the two sides' progress. Based on Siggins' confidential update and recommendations, the federal panel ordered the negotiations to continue, with another update due Nov. 18, the jurists said in their signed order.