Montgomery, AL -
U.S.
District Judge Myron Thompson ruled Friday in favor of inmates who filed suit
to end the longstanding practice of segregating prison inmates who are HIV positive.
Thompson says the state's policy violates federal disabilities law.
Thompson
says the state and inmate attorneys will have time to propose a way to bring
state prisons into compliance with his order.
The
American Civil Liberties Union calls the decision "historic." The
state has yet to comment on the ruling.
Alabama
and South Carolina are the only states that segregate HIV-positive prisoners.
There is
one part of the suit that Judge Thompson must still rule on, and that is the part
of the suit involving work-release inmates.
