AUSTIN, Texas — A federal trial examining extreme heat conditions in Texas prisons began this week, focusing on whether a lack of air conditioning contributed to inmate deaths and violates constitutional standards.
Attorneys for incarcerated plaintiffs argued that at least five deaths in 2024 and 2025 were linked to high temperatures inside facilities, with heat indexes reportedly reaching triple digits. A March 2025 ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman found such conditions “plainly unconstitutional,” though he stopped short of ordering immediate system-wide air conditioning installation.
State officials pushed back, with attorneys for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) disputing the cause of death and citing other possible factors, including drug toxicity. They also emphasized ongoing mitigation efforts, including expanded cooling measures and increased availability of “cool beds,” which are expected to reach 70,000 by 2027.
Experts for the plaintiffs testified that missing body temperature data in some cases complicates determining causes of death. Meanwhile, cost remains a central issue, as TDCJ estimates full air conditioning installation could exceed $1.1 billion.
The case highlights broader concerns over prison conditions and funding priorities in Texas, where lawmakers have so far approved only partial funding for cooling improvements.
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