NY Times Investigates Extreme Heat and 8th Amendment Violations

As July 2016 breaks records all across the southern United States for extreme heat, many jails and prisons across the south are still without temperature control for incarcerated people – putting the lives of many prone to heat related conditions at risk. The New York Times profiles this issue in Alan Blinder’s latest piece, interviewing PJI Attorney, Mercedes Montagnes.

“It’s almost impossible for courts to deny the constitutional violation because extreme heat undoubtedly exposes individuals to substantial risk of serious harm,” said Mercedes Montagnes, a lawyer for three inmates with health issues who challenged conditions on Louisiana’s death row. “Now what we’re grappling with is the remedy.”