Court Asked to Rule in Prison Site Case

Lawyers representing Los Angeles County asked the state Supreme Court on Tuesday to block an appellate court decision authorizing state officials to acquire county-owned land in Lancaster for a proposed prison.

The action by the county counsel’s office came in response to last week’s reversal by the State Court of Appeal of a lower court judicial order. That order had barred the state from using its power of eminent domain to acquire 252 acres in west Lancaster until lawsuits challenging the prison site were resolved.

Deputy County Counsel Jonathan Crane said he asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday to issue a similar order, postponing the acquisition and construction process pending a Sept. 24 Superior Court hearing on city and county lawsuits challenging the environmental review of the prison site.