Federal judge rules prison heat conditions are unconstitutional, but doesn’t require air conditioning

“Housing Texas prison inmates in sweltering facilities that lack air conditioning is “plainly unconstitutional,” U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman said Wednesday in a groundbreaking, 91-page ruling.

The judge declined to order the Texas Department of Justice to immediately install temporary or permanent air conditioning, instead forcing the plaintiffs to move towards a trial.

Pitman wrote that the case will likely move to a bench trial and that the plaintiffs and defense must submit a proposed timeline for legal proceedings by April 10.