Judge Deems Smoldering Hot Texas Prisons as ‘Unconstitutional’

Texas prisons are so smoldering hot that a federal judge ruled the conditions are “plainly unconstitutional.” Inmates in many of these uncooled facilities sit in cells that sometimes surpass 110 degrees.

Last year, at least 41 inmates died during a record-breaking heat wave. Years of lawsuits and deaths linked to extreme heat have finally pushed U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman to issue a 91-page deeming the conditions unconstitutional.

Marci Marie Simmons, a former inmate and plaintiff in the lawsuit, called the ruling a victory. “This is a federal judge saying Texas is unconstitutionally housing people in these dangerous and deadly temperatures,” she said.

UNCONSTITUTIONAL YET NO ENFORCEMENT

However, even though the conditions inside Texas prisons were ruled unconstitutional, Judge Pitman did not enforce any type of enforcement or mandate for Texas to install air conditioning in the prisons.

Texas doesn't seem to be making the first move to create better conditions. No money was allocated to cooling prisons, despite having a $37.7 billion surplus in the budget.

ADVOCATES CONTINUE TO SPEAK UP

Advocates say basic human survival shouldn’t be debated. “What we are doing is overheating the body for long periods of time which is detrimental… we’re literally cooking them,” said Amite Dominick of Texas Prison Community Advocates.

Since no specific orders were put into effect to combat the heat inside Texas prisons, the case will likely continue on to a bench trial.

For now, Texas prisoners remain stuck in blistering cells, waiting for lawmakers or courts to decide if relief will ever come.