SACRAMENTO . (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld a damage award of nearly $5 million against the union that represents most California prison guards.

A U.S. District Court jury in Sacramento ruled in 2010 that the California Correctional Peace Officers Association defamed plaintiff Brian Dawe as the union tried to take over Corrections USA, a California-based national coalition of prison guard unions.

Jurors found that officials with the union and Corrections USA broke contracts and spread lies about Dawe, Corrections USA's founder and executive director. They awarded Dawe $12 million in damages, but a federal judge later reduced the amount.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the $5 million award in a ruling dated Friday.

Union spokesman JeVaughn Baker said Monday that the union has not decided whether to appeal.