Earlier Releases For Repeat Offenders In California Halted Pending Appeal

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California's on-again, off-again plan to allow earlier potential prison releases for certain repeat offenders was off again Tuesday, pending an appeal by more than half of California's 58 district attorneys.

Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Judith Craddick reinstated a temporary restraining order that was lifted last week by another judge.

The order again temporarily prevents corrections officials from increasing good conduct credits for offenders with serious and violent criminal histories under the state's "three strikes" law. The credits would go only to second-strike inmates serving time for nonviolent offenses who are housed at minimum-security prisons and camps.

Twenty-eight of California's 58 district attorneys moved to block the rule.

Sacramento Superior Court Judge Shama Mesiwala ruled last week that the prosecutors lacked legal standing to challenge the regulations.

Craddick renewed the stay to give prosecutors time to appeal Mesiwala's ruling to California's 3rd District Court of Appeals, and to give that court time to act.

Corrections officials said they would comply with the new order.