By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – A hearing that was scheduled for Tuesday concerning state prisoners and county jails has been canceled. Circuit Judge William Shashy canceled the hearing Monday after learning that the backlog of state prisoners in county jails was down to 285. That's the lowest the backlog has been in since 2005. Shashy had ordered Alabama prisons commissioner Richard Allen to reduce the backlog from 585 to 400 by Tuesday and to clear the entire backlog by September. The next status conference will be held in Shashy's courtroom in July. Allen took over as commissioner in March.