New Mexico Court Denies Mass Prisoner Release During Virus

The New Mexico Supreme Court on Monday denied a request to hasten the release of some inmates from prisons across the state to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

The unanimous ruling affirmed that the administration of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) is not “deliberately indifferent” to the health and safety of inmates, Chief Justice Judith Nakamura said following oral arguments. The justices considered a petition arguing that failing to reduce the density of prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic violates the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution because exposing them to the disease in unsafe conditions is cruel ...