An autopsy was performed on Jose Trinidad Barrera, who had been an inmate at Bexar County Adult Detention Center, Annex, in San Antonio, Texas when he died. His cause of death was complications of an Intraventricular Hemorrhagic Stroke. Mr. Barrera had not received treatment for that medical condition after his admission to the jail’s jurisdiction. The 60-year-old died on July 7, 2023, at St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital.

The Sweltering Heat in Texas Lockups is Inhumane

An editorial released in late July 2023 in an Austin, Texas, publication points out that animal shelters are required to ensure that temperatures get no higher than 84º F to protect the cats, dogs, and other pets from the punishing heat. Texas laws make no requirement regarding temperature regulation in jails and prisons. Currently, a majority of Texas inmates have no cooling system in their cells to provide relief from the brutal heat of summer.

According to a 2022 study by Texas A&M University, in the summertime, walls in the state’s prisons are frequently at temperatures of 100º F or more. In their efforts to cool off, inmates flood their toilets so they can lie on their floors in the water that overflows. To improve airflow, some have gone so far as to break windows.

Advocates of reform have determined that Texas inmates are dying from extreme heat. Those who suffer the most often have medical or mental conditions worsened by soaring temperatures.

Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of this series.

One of the reasons this website was created was to provide Texas inmates in municipal and county jails and their families with helpful resources. There is no intention of making accusations against individuals or entities on this site.

–Guest Contributor