Nebraska's Crowded Prisons Hit Federal Courtroom

Nebraska's prisons, which are bulging at the seems, are front and center in an Omaha federal courtroom today (Monday).

Lawyers for the Americans Civil Liberties Union and the state square off, with the A-C-L-U suing the Nebraska Department of Corrections claiming that the second most overcrowded prison system in the country endangers inmates and guards alike.

Oral arguments today likely to boost charges that an inmate was denied cancer treatment for five months, while another killed himself after asking for psychiatric help that he never received.

A future ruling against the state could lead to the release of several hundred prisoners.

Governor Ricketts believes the state will win the lawsuit noting that his administration is in the process of finalizing 484 new beds for male inmates in Lincoln.

It's not known when the federal case will be decided.

In the meantime a separate state imposed July 9th deadline is looming and could result in 750 inmates walking free.