ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has signed an executive order that would allow more than 1,000 inmates to be eligible for early release in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The order issued Tuesday would assess the eligibility for release based on age and how close the prisoner is to finishing their sentence, The Washington Post reported.
Medical conditions, special needs and pregnancy would also be taken into account, but Sonia Kumar, attorney with the state’s American Civil Liberties Union, said she was disappointed Hogan’s order does not prioritize “those vulnerable for medical reasons.”
The order also allows corrections officials to move quickly on decisions about parole and home detentions, and grant release to inmates who were already scheduled to be released within 120 days of the order. Sex offenders and others convicted of violent crimes are not eligible for early release.
As of Monday, nearly 1,200 inmates had tested positive for the virus and 13 have died.
Hogan had issued a similar order earlier this year amid pressure from civil rights advocates.
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