Federal Judge Hears Lawsuit on Texas Prison AC

Advocates for Texas prisoners are urging a federal judge to declare the lack of air conditioning in the state's prisons as unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment. A lawsuit initiated in 2023 highlights that only one-third of Texas's 100 prison units have full air conditioning, leading to extreme temperatures exceeding 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which have reportedly caused hundreds of inmate deaths. Former inmates have testified about the unbearable conditions, with some resorting to splashing themselves with toilet water or faking suicide attempts to escape the heat. Similar lawsuits are emerging in other states, including Louisiana and New Mexico, where dangerous heat conditions also persist. In Louisiana's Angola prison, a class-action lawsuit has been filed to stop forced labor under extreme heat, with a federal judge noting the state's