A federal judge is ordering the state to pay $250-million for improving medical care in prisons by next week. If California doesn't pay by November 5th the Governor and State Controller John Chiang could face contempt of court charges. Federal Receiver Clark Kelso is in charge of medical care in prisons. His attorney James Brosnahan says if the money doesn't come there will be another hearing to determine what sanctions the Governor and Controller could face.
Brosnahan: And what that sanction would be depends on where we are at that time. It could be money, it could be something else.
Kelso says the money is necessary to bring medical care in state prisons up to constitutional standards. His entire plan will cost eight billion dollars. State Attorney General Jerry Brown is against turning over the money. He says there is not enough detail about how it will be used.
