The State - News from Dec. 19, 1986

A federal judge in San Francisco ordered state prison officials to refurbish and reopen a 55-bed hospital at San Quentin Prison, which had been the state’s only licensed prison hospital. U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel, responding to a suit by inmates, ordered the state Department of Corrections to act with “all deliberate speed” to make the needed repairs and renew the hospital’s license. The state had relinquished the acute-care license of the 70-year-old Neumiller Hospital in early October, saying that fire safety improvements for the facility would cost at least $2.5 million and take until 1989. Patel told department officials to report to her on their progress in 60 days, and said that if she is not satisfied, she will appoint a monitor to oversee the job.