by Mindy Aguon

Guam - The Department of Corrections was supposed to have a status hearing for a more than decade-old consent decree this week, but the court moved the hearing until next month. Two criminal jury trials are scheduled to begin this week and the court is also waiting on a quarterly status report to be filed by the independent monitor.

District Court Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood has asked the monitor to specifically address remaining issues in the settlement agreement such as the installation of a smoke control system in the adult correctional facility, installation of electronic locking/unlocking systems, installation of padded cells in the Department of Corrections' correctional and detention facilities, installation of the generator and eradication of rodent infestation at the Hagatna Detention Facility, as well as the status of debt repayment to the Bureau of Prisons.

The status hearing was rescheduled until November 3 at 9am, and the independent monitor should file his status report by October 26.