>> TO DO WHY MIKE CHECK MIKE CHECK. 1, 2, 3, 4, >> AS TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE ARE
BREAKING RECORDS INSIDE OF
TEXAS PRISONS. THE HEAT IS
BRUTAL AND PEOPLE ARE DYING.
KSAT INVESTIGATES HAS RECEIVED
DOZENS OF EMAILS FROM LOVED
ONES OF INMATES PLEADING FOR
HELP. TEXAS DOES NOT REQUIRE
AIR CONDITIONING ITS PRISONS
RECENTLY. A RALLY WAS ACTUALLY
HELD IN AUSTIN CALLED 85 TO
STAY ALIVE. IT IS PUSHING
LAWMAKERS TO ALLOCATE FUNDS TO
COOL TEXAS PRISONS. DESPITE
THAT COMMUNITY SUPPORT. LEIGH
WALDMAN EXPLAINS. IT’S A
PROBLEM NOT BEING FIXED.
>> YOU CAN SEE THE HEAT WAVES
OUTSIDE OF THE BARB WIRE
FENCING. IT’S OVER 100 DEGREES
OUTSIDE. BUT INSIDE THE WALLS
OF TEXAS PRISONS, IT’S EVEN
HOTTER. HE’S BEEN THROUGH A LOT
IN HIS LIFE.
>> THE CHOICES HE MADE. YES,
BUT THIS IS INHUMANE. THIS IS
UNACCEPTABLE.
AND YES, I’M WORRIED ABOUT HIM
DYING. THIS WOMAN DIDN’T WANT
TO BE IDENTIFIED. SHE’S WORRIED
ABOUT BACKLASH PERSON WHO’S
INCARCERATED MIGHT FACE VERY
PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY
EXHAUSTING. SHE’S NOT ALONE,
SAYS A LOT THAT SUDDEN ELDRIDGE
HAS A BROTHER IN PRISON IN
NORTH TEXAS. ELDRED SAYS HER
BROTHER TELLS HER ABOUT THE
SWELTERING HEAT INSIDE AS WELL
AT CONCERN THAT NOT JUST MY
BROTHER BUT
>> MANY OF THE INCARCERATED MEN
THAT WE HAVE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE DYING IN THAT
3RD SO FAR THIS SUMMER, 8
INMATES AND 15 STAFFERS HAVE
REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR
HEAT RELATED INJURIES SINCE
TEMPERATURES STARTED RISING.
>> REPRESENTATIVE WITH TDCJ
SAYS NONE WERE FATAL. BUT THE
TEXAS TRIBUNE REPORTED THIS
MONTH THAT AT LEAST 9 PRISONERS
HAVE DIED SINCE MID-JUNE.
WELL, HEAT INDICES WERE IN THE
TRIPLE DIGITS OUTSIDE WE HAVE
DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.
SOMEONE THAT HAVE SUCCUMB TO
CARDIAC ARREST. THAT HAS TO
COME TO
>> SEIZURES ARE ANOTHER
EMERGENCY AND THEY WOULD NOT
HAVE A HISTORY OF THAT. WE
PULLED RECENT DEATH RECORDS OF
3 INMATES ALL UNDER THE AGE
OF 15 WITHOUT UNDERLYING
CONDITIONS.
>> IN EACH THE CAUSE OF DEATH
IS LISTED AS CARDIAC ARREST.
IT WOULD REALLY BE PRUDENT TO
CHECK THE CORE BODY
TEMPERATURE.
>> AND THAT WOULD BE A BETTER
INDICATOR OF WHO ACTUALLY DID
SUCCUMB TO HEAT RELATED ISSUES
SINCE 1998. AT LEAST 20 TDCJ
PRISONERS ACROSS TEXAS HAVE
DIED OF HYPOTHERMIA.
>> OR HEAT STROKE ACCORDING TO
TDCJ DATA, 10 IN 2011 ALONE
RESULT IN LAWSUITS FILED BY
FAMILY MEMBERS. BUT JUST HOW
HOT IS IT INSIDE THESE WALLS?
>> TEXAS AM UNIVERSITY
RESEARCHERS, CARLY PURDUM IN
VENITA DIXON SET OUT TO FIND
OUT. YOU HAVE.
>> THE TEMPERATURE THAT’S TAKEN
IN ONE SPACE EVERY DAY. BUT
WHAT WE NEED ARE MULTIPLE
TEMPERATURE POINTS THROUGHOUT
THE FACILITY IT’S DIFFICULT
FOR US TO GET ACCESS TO THAT
KIND OF DATA THEY COLLECTED
AVAILABLE TDCJ DATA AND SURVEYS
FROM INMATES FROM 2018 TO 2020.
>> AND FOUND THAT TEMPERATURES
REGULARLY REACHED 110 DEGREES
INSIDE PRISONS. AND PETE AT
ONE, 49 IN AT LEAST ONE UNIT,
WE HAD ONE INDIVIDUAL SAYS
DURING THE HOTTEST PART OF THE
DAY, I FEEL DIZZY, SEE STARS
AND FEEL LIKE I’M GOING TO
>> MY HANDS AND FEET SWELL
MAKING MY USE OF LIMBS LIMITED
IN 2018, IT WAS MADE A PRIORITY
TO ADD AIR CONDITION BEDS AND
REST AREAS WHERE PRISONERS CAN
GET ACCESS TO COOLER
TEMPERATURES FOR 10 TO 15
MINUTES AT A TIME BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE DESCRIBING ITS THE
SAME THING ACROSS ALL OF THE
UNITS. WE SEE THE SAME PATTERN
IS THAT THERE ARE FREQUENTLY
DENIED ACCESS IN MAY. THE TEXAS
HOUSE AND SENATE REACHED A DEAL
ON A 321.2 BILLION DOLLAR 2
YEAR SPENDING PLAN WITH TEXAS
HAVING ITS LARGEST SURPLUS IN
BUDGET. LAWMAKERS ARE GIVING
THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF
CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
>> AN ADDITIONAL 85.7 MILLION
DOLLARS TO BE USED IN 2024,
THAT’S ON TOP OF THE 4 BILLION
FOR ITS REGULAR BUDGET
REPRESENTATIVE WITH TDCJ SAYS
THAT MONEY WON’T GO TOWARDS
COOLING TEMPERATURES INSIDE.
>> I ASKED TDCJ TO SIT DOWN
WITH US AND SPEAK ABOUT HE
PRESENTS. THIS WAS DIRECTOR
OF COMMUNICATION. AMANDA
HERNANDEZ, THIS RESPONSE WHEN
PRESSED AS TO WHY SHE SAID
THEY’RE ANSWERING QUESTIONS
VIA E-MAIL. SHE EXPLAINED
THEY’RE PRIORITIZING COOLING
BEDS ADDING 9,459 OVER THE LAST
5 YEARS.
>> WITH OVER 100,000
INCARCERATED PEOPLE IN TDCJ
PRISONS RIGHT NOW AND ONLY A
3RD OF TEXAS PRISONS WITH FULL
AIR CONDITIONING. TENS OF
THOUSANDS ARE LEFT TO SUFFER
AND THE BRUTAL HEAT.
>> YOU KNOW THAT THAT DOLL
POUNDS EVEN HAVE AIR
CONDITIONER. BUT THE STATE OF
TEXAS PRISONS DON’T. THAT’S
PRETTY SICK.
>> THERE’S BEEN PROPOSED
LEGISLATIVE CHANGES FOR YEARS.
THIS PAST
LEGISLATIVE SESSION,
REPRESENTATIVE TERRY OUT OF
HIDALGO COUNTY PROPOSED HOUSE
BILL 17. 0, 8, WHICH WOULD
IMPOSE TEMPERATURE APARTMENTS
INSIDE OF TEXAS PRESENCE.
THAT BILL DIDN’T MAKE IT OUT
OF COMMITTEE. HOWEVER, HE HAS
MADE SEVERAL POINTED TWEET,
SAID GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT ABOUT
THOSE LIVING CONDITIONS AND ONE
OF THOSE TWEETS, HE CALLED IT
QUOTE, GOVERNMENT SANCTIONED
TORTURE.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS AFFECTS LEE.
THE INMATES IN. THEY’RE ALSO
THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THESE
PRISONS. THERE’S A QUESTION
ABOUT HUMANITY WHICH, YOU KNOW,
WAS TOUCHED ON IN YOUR STORY,
BUT COST AS WELL.
>> HOW MUCH WOULD IT ACTUALLY
COST TO AIR CONDITION? THESE
PRESIDENTS THAT REALLY DEPENDS
ON WHO YOU’RE ASKING THAT
QUESTION, TOO. SO IF YOU ASKED
THE D C J, THEY’LL SAY ABOUT
1 BILLION DOLLARS TO COOL ALL
OF ITS UNCOOL PRISONS.
>> WHICH IS MORE THAN 70% OF
THEM, WHICH ARE NOT COMPLETELY
AIR-CONDITIONED. HOWEVER,
DURING THE 2017 LAWSUIT OVER
HIGH HEAT IN THE PRISON UNIT
NEAR COLLEGE STATION, THAT COST
ESTIMATE TO COOL THAT UNIT WAS
INFLATED TO 20 MILLION DOLLARS
AND THEN FELL TO 4 MILLION
AFTER THE STATE THEN SETTLED
AND AGREED TO INSTALL AIR
CONDITIONING IN THAT UNIT.
IT WAS AN 80% DECREASE OF THE
ORIGINAL COST ESTIMATE. RIGHT
NOW. WHAT I WANT TO ASK A
QUESTION, I WANT TO CLARIFY
REALLY SOMETHING HERE.
>> WHEN SOMEONE DIES. AND IT’S
A HEART ATTACK, THEY DON’T TAKE
THEIR CORE TEMPERATURE.
CORRECT?
AND THIS CURRENT DATA THAT WE
CAN SEE BASED ON TDCJ REPORTS,
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE
KNOW, RIGHT. SO THEY CAN’T TELL
WHETHER BIDEN BEEN HE RELATED.
THEY JUST KNOW WAS A CARDIAC
ARREST AND THEY’RE THERE.
IT’S HARD TO TELL IF SOMEONE
HAS A HEAT RELATED DEATH UNLESS
YOU ARE DOING THAT BODY
TEMPERATURE CHECK AT THE POINT
OF DEATH. IT’S HARD TO TELL
EVEN OUR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
NOT WORKING WITH INCARCERATED
PEOPLE CAN SAY THAT. YEAH.
LET’S TALK ABOUT TEXAS PRISON
REGULATIONS. THERE ARE PRISON
REGULATIONS THAT THERE ARE
TEXAS PRISON REGULATIONS.
DO ANY OF THEM BASICALLY
REQUIRE HUMANE LIVING
CONDITIONS OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT IN IN WRITING.
>> SO IF YOU ARE IN A JAIL,
THERE IS SOME KIND OF
REGULATION IN PLACE. SO BACK IN
1994, THERE WAS A PROVISION
PASSED THAT REQUIRED TEXAS
JAILS TO BE TEMPERATURE
CONTROLLED, KEEPING THE BETWEEN
65 AND 85 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT
AND ALL OF THEIR OCCUPIED
AREAS. BUT AGAIN, NOTHING
SPECIFICALLY WRITTEN ABOUT
TDCJ. SO ONCE YOU’RE SENTENCED
TO PRISON, NO REQUIREMENTS IN
2018 AFTER YEARS-LONG LAWSUIT
AND THE STATE OF TEXAS SHELLING
OUT MORE THAN 7.3 MILLION
DOLLARS IN LEGAL FEES. TDCJ
AGREED TO COOL DOWN ONE
GERIATRIC UNIT NEAR COLLEGE
STATION. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER
LAWSUITS FILED DOZENS OF OTHER
LAWSUITS SPECIFICALLY FOLLOWING
THE DEATHS OF AT LEAST 10 IN
PRISON INMATES IN 2011,
ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS TRIBUNE,
TEXAS HAS SPENT 6.4 MILLION
DOLLARS LEGALLY REPRESENTING
TDCJ IN HEAT RELATED LITIGATION
SINCE 2011. SO OVER THE PAST
FEW YEARS, THERE’S BEEN ANOTHER
10 MILLION DOLLARS PAID OUT IN
SETTLEMENT EXPENSES FOR
WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUITS FOR
PRISONERS WHO HAVE DIED OF
HEATSTROKE SUFFERED LOOKING
AT THE COST AND HITTING TO COOL
THESE PRISONS.
WE’RE SPENDING IT ARGUABLY IN
LITIGATION AFTERWARDS. YEAH,
ABSOLUTELY. WE TALKED TO THE
START OF THE STORY ABOUT THE 85
TO STAY ALIVE RALLY LAST MONTH
THAT THE STATE CAPITOL TO TRY
TO MAKE CHANGES HERE. ANY OTHER
SIMILAR EFFORTS PLAN TO PUSH
FOR THIS SO JUST ANNOUNCED
TODAY? THEY ARE ACTUALLY WAS A
SIMILAR RALLY THAT’S PLANNED.
IT’S GOING TO BE AUGUST.
THE WOMAN YOU SAW OUR STORY
SAID NL RIDGE. SHE SAID THAT
THEY’RE PLANNING A PRAYER
CIRCLE AND CANDLELIGHT VIGIL
OUTSIDE OF THE GOVERNOR’S
MANSION ON AUGUST. 11TH AT
08:00PM. THEY’RE HOPING TO
PERSUADE HIM IN OTHER POLITICAL
LEADERS TO CALL FOR A SPECIAL
SESSION IN ORDER TO MITIGATE
THE HEAT RISKS IN PRISON.
IF YOU WATCH THIS FULL STORY
AGAIN ON TEXAS PRISON HEAT,
GO TO OUR KSAT YOU TO PAGE AND
ALSO FOLLOW IT HERE ON KSAT DOT
COM. YOU CLEARLY DON’T WANT
TEXAS PRISONS TO BE CUSHING WHO
WANTED TO BE A PLACE OF PEOPLE.
DON’T WANT TO GO TO. BUT
>> WHEN IT COMES TO THAT ONE
TEMPERATURE OF 149 DEGREES
INSIDE THAT MAYBE SAYS CROSS
THE LINE OR EXACTLY AND PEOPLE
JUST WANT THEIR LOVED ONES TO
BUILD A SERVE THEIR TIME AND
MAKE IT OUT ALIVE AFTER THEY’VE
SERVED THAT TIME. YEAH. AND THE