Federal Trial Begins Over Heat-Related Deaths and Air Conditioning in Texas Prisons

A federal trial opened in Austin on Monday to address claims that insufficient air conditioning in Texas prison facilities contributed to five heat-related deaths over the past two summers. Attorneys representing the plaintiffs presented these allegations as the trial began, highlighting conditions inside state prisons during periods of intense heat.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) has denied that heat was a significant factor in these deaths, with its legal team challenging the claims in court. According to the plaintiffs, three of the suspected heat-related deaths occurred between June and August of 2024, while two others were reported in July and August of 2025. For all five cases, attorneys pointed to high heat indexes at the time of death, including instances when temperatures reached well into the triple digits.

The trial follows a March 2025 order from U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman, who found that housing inmates in uncooled, sweltering facilities violates the constitutional rights of prisoners. However, Judge Pitman did not mandate immediate installation of air conditioning, citing the agency's estimate that installing permanent systems statewide would exceed $1 billion in initial costs and $20 million in annual operations. Instead, Pitman moved the issue to trial, as plaintiffs seek full air conditioning across the prison system by 2029, with progress benchmarks along the way.

Plaintiff attorneys, representing advocacy organizations and individuals, argued the prison system is not moving urgently enough to address heat risk. TDCJ representatives countered that the department is expanding heat mitigation measures, adding cool beds, and conducting increased audits. As of March 2025, there are 52,438 cool beds, with a goal to reach 70,000 by the end of summer 2027.

The Texas Legislature has repeatedly declined to mandate air conditioning throughout all state prisons, instead allocating $118 million for installations in 2025—enough to add 18,000 more cool beds, but not sufficient for systemwide coverage. The trial before Judge Pitman, which is expected to last two weeks, continues as both sides present testimony and evidence. The current status of the trial is ongoing, with no final judgment yet issued.