Supreme Court Rejects Elderly Texas Inmates on Covid Steps (1)

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to reinstate a judge’s order that had required a Texas prison for elderly inmates to take specific steps to protect against the coronavirus outbreak.

The justices on Monday rejected calls by inmates Laddy Valentine and Richard King, who said the Wallace Pack Unit in southeastern Texas isn’t doing enough to protect them from infection. They contended a federal appeals court was wrong to block the safety measures.

The Supreme Court gave no explanation. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented, saying 20 inmates have already died after contracting Covid-19.

“If the prison fails to enforce ...