RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A judge has refused the requests of several offenders and civil rights groups for him to tell North Carolina corrections leaders to reduce the prison population further to protect inmates from COVID-19. Wednesday’s denials by Superior Court Judge Vince Rozier came after he received last week an extensive report from prison officials about what wardens were doing to discourage the virus’ spread. That includes sending home hundreds of additional inmates. The plaintiffs argued that more meaningful action was needed. More than 640 offenders in about a dozen prisons have tested positive for the new coronavirus, and five of them have died.

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