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PHOENIX (AP) — The Latest on a contempt of court ruling against the Arizona prisons chief for failing to adequately improve health care for inmates (all times local):
5:40 p.m.
Gov. Doug Ducey's office says a contempt of court ruling against Arizona's prison director for failing to adequately improve health care for inmates was unjustified.
Ducey spokesman Daniel Scarpinato says the governor stands behind Corrections Director Charles Ryan, who works for Ducey.
Scarpinato says the governor's office will challenge any judge who tries to set agency policy.
The decision Friday by U.S. Magistrate Judge David Duncan stems from the state's acknowledged failure to follow through on some improvements that it promised in 2014 when it settled a lawsuit over care.
Duncan also fined the state $1.4 million for failing to adequately improve care.
The Department of Corrections says it will appeal the contempt decision.
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4:45 p.m.
The Arizona Department of Corrections says it plans to appeal a civil contempt of court ruling against its director for failing to adequately improve health care for inmates.
The decision Friday involving Corrections Director Charles Ryan stems from the state's acknowledged failure to follow through on some improvements that it promised in 2014 when it settled a lawsuit over care.
The corrections agency released a statement saying it disagreed with the ruling by U.S. Magistrate David Duncan.
It also said it was confident an appeals court will overturn the decision because it's contrary to the evidence and law in the case.
Duncan also fined the state $1.4 million for failing to adequately improve care.
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3:52 p.m.
A judge has found Arizona's prisons chief to be in civil contempt of court and fined the state $1.4 million for failing to adequately improve health care for inmates.
The decision Friday involving Corrections Director Charles Ryan stems from the state's acknowledged failure to follow through on some improvements that it promised in 2014 when it settled a lawsuit over care.
The lawsuit said some prisoners complained their cancer went undetected or they were told to pray to be cured after begging for treatment.
It also claims the failure of the medical staff at one prison to diagnose the metastasized cancer of an inmate resulted in his stomach swelling to the size of a pregnant woman at full term.
The state denied the claims that it was providing shoddy care.
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