Judge gives Fulton County 30 days to curb jail crowding

ATLANTA - A federal judge has given Fulton County 30 days to begin a plan to halt overcrowding and remedy other problems at the county jail. <br> <br> U.S. District Judge Marvin Shoob, who is supervising the county&#39;s response to a lawsuit claiming that HIV-positive inmates get poor health care, said Tuesday that lengthy delays in processing suspects accused of major crimes is a main reason the jail is too crowded. <br> <br> Overcrowding is the primary cause of poor health care, Shoob wrote in his order. <br> <br> He wants the county to provide inmates with a lawyer and a court hearing within 72 hours of arrest. Some go months before they are arraigned. <br> <br> Shoob said the jail housed 2,526 prisoners March 15, which is 100 more than it was designed to hold. The judge said 308 of those inmates were charged with misdemeanors but had not been accused formally by the solicitor&#39;s office. Of those, 100 had been jailed for more than a month. <br> <br> County Attorney O.V. Brantley said she was surprised by Shoob&#39;s order. <br> <br> ``I really thought we were pretty much in compliance in relation to everything the judge wanted us to do in relation to the jail,&#39;&#39; Brantley said. <br> <br> Shoob cited a court-appointed monitor who said inmates continue to go without adequate heat, water, fresh air and medical care. The monitor said it can take HIV-positive inmates up to six months to get an appointment for care.