Thread by @TexasTribune

1/ A judge told Texas to give some inmates air conditioning.

But lawyers say prison officials are violating that order. #txlege

bit.ly/30ZgexP

2/ The lawyers representing inmates in a long and costly legal battle over a lack of air conditioning in Texas prisons claimed the state continues to jeopardize the lives of some of the nearly 900 inmates a judge ruled must be kept in cool temperatures. bit.ly/30ZgexP

3/ Lawyers also accused the agency of hiding multiple instances of noncompliance with the court order. bit.ly/30ZgexP

4/ Nearly 75% of Texas' more than 100 prison facilities do not have air conditioning in inmate housing areas, and the department has reported nearly two dozen heat-related deaths since 1998. bit.ly/30ZgexP

5/ As of Aug. 28, TDCJ reported 56 heat-related illnesses in 2019 for prisoners and employees.

The spokesman, Jeremy Desel, said that number is down significantly from last year, when there were 71 incidents. bit.ly/30ZgexP

6/ After a long legal battle, Texas ultimately moved to settle the lawsuit over a lack of AC in February 2018, agreeing to keep the heat index — which also accounts for humidity — at the Wallace Pack prison near College Station at or below 88 degrees. bit.ly/30ZgexP

7/7 But since then, the inmates’ attorneys have claimed TDCJ violated the order multiple times.

They said the department did not notify the attorneys multiple times over the last two years when ACs malfunctioned for 24+ hours.

Read more here. bit.ly/30ZgexP