PHOENIX (AP) — A judge has thrown out a 6-year-old legal settlement requiring Arizona to improve health care for thousands of prisoners.
Judge Roslyn Silver said corrections officials have shown little interest in complying with their obligations under the deal and that it would be absurd to expect the state to act differently in the future.
ilver opted against imposing additional contempt-of-court fines against the state for its longstanding noncompliance and instead said she will take the case to trial.
She said the state's failure to provide adequate medical care for prisoners has led to suffering and preventable deaths.
Arizona corrections officials declined to comment on the ruling.
