Family Sues TDCJ Over Heat-Related Death
Update: This story has been updated to include response from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
If her father had survived his time in jail, Stephanie Kingrey said, he would have been returning home from his 11-month sentence this week.
Kingrey’s father, Larry Gene McCollum, suffered heat stroke last July at the Hutchins State Jail in Dallas and died. This morning, the Texas Civil Rights Project and Austin attorney Jeff Edwards filed a wrongful death lawsuit Tuesday against Texas prison officials on the family’s behalf.
As summer temperatures rise, annual worries about high temperatures in Texas jails have ...
Comments (11)
Charlotte Testa
I'm trying to understand.
1. Why the hell don't inmates get as much water as they need?
2. Why do they have to purchase a cup to drink the water? What about inmates who have no money whatsoever? Do they have to die of thirst?
Forgery is no capital crime. This is insane.
RIP Larry McCollum. My My deepest thoughts and sympathies go out to him and his family.
In solidarity from Paris, France.
gypsy314 ne
It is sad to say but our illegal aliens have better conditions then our own prisons for Americans but what can you say when democrats put illegal alien before Americans. This will change soon enough.
Kathy Burrow
It breaks my heart to know that America treats their own US Citizens that are in prison with such abuse. The prisoners at Guantanamo Bay who were out to kill Americans are treated with better respect of receiving prayer time, water, food, TV, books, etc. What has happened to this Nation. A mistreated dog receives better respect. And don't forget all the small children left in cars by mistake that suffer or die from the heat. I'm a former sister-in-law of Larry and he did not deserve to suffer. The prison system is out of wack just like Washington is out of touch. Larry didn't deserve to die and his chidlren didn't deserve to see the torment he suffered at the hands of the Texas Prison System.
Kambri Crews
What's most appalling to me is State Senator John Whitmire's comments in today's NY Times article. Essentially he says to let 'em fry calling them rapists, murderers, and sex offenders. If that's his opinion about violent criminals, I'm sure there's no persuading him; however Mr. McCollum was in for forgery, sentenced to less than a year.
I called Senator Whitmire's office to voice my complaint. His info is here: http://www.whitmire.senate.state.tx.us/
Times article here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/27/us/two-lawsuits-challenge-the-lack-of-air-conditioning-in-texas-prisons.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y
BiffTannen
This is what being 'tough on crime' gets you. Enjoy it, citizens. You've earned it.
deborah young
With the 95 million dollars made in commissary, I can't see any reason WHY the prisons cannot be air conditioned. Explain the thought process on this! Even the animal shelters are air conditioned. Are we such a society to think that humans are not as worthy as an animal to have the simple need to breathe.
Kathy Peikert
I'm glad to hear the family is suing! However, how many inmates will die before it goes to court or gets settled for hush $$$...
kay jett
Agreeing with MOST of the other comments here. I too was in TDCJ on a pretty petty conviction compared to murderers, rapists, pedophiles and the like. It doesn't matter. The water at the unit I was on was contaminated and if you have no money like I didn't too bad so sad. Medical care may as well be nonexistent. Guards won't help an ailing inmate either they would rather sit there an laugh or ridicule them first. Medical staff does pretty much the same. I have said it before terrorists and illegal aliens and yes even the dogs get treated better. the punishment was supposed to be being locked up....not being tortured when you are there. I have copd but never once got a breathing treatment....was told I was faking. Never had a fan. didn't have any money for one. If you could really truly see what goes on behind those bars.....the abuses are atrocious. Don't get sick or injured.if you ever have to go.....even on a very short sentence....you are likely to die
Christine Lund
I have heard that Texas prisons are incredibly hot or cold. Brown recluse spiders everywhere. Doctor's visits takes forever. What kind of garbage is it to limit their water? Charge for cups?????? Is Texas really part of America? Are all prisons as bad as our state? These are supposed to be rehabilitation units. Sounds like some of Hitler's work.
Jeff Culpepper
I beg to differ in this it's not civil rights that we are talking about but human rights. How can we preach to other countries about human rights violations when under extreme weather conditions we won't give a prisoner water because he can't afford a cheap cup to put the water in. What in the hell is wrong with country. We can fly water around the world but won't give a prisoner some water.
dustin matus
In July 2010 I was placed in the Hutchins state jail then the temp was in upwards of 120 degrees in the dorm. The officers brought in one 5 gallon water jug without ice for 45+ inmates. It was horrible my body broke out in heat rash from my head to my toes, when i went to the infirmary they just sent me back to my dorm with 15 or so Ibuprofen. The status on the fans..... You have a vent fan and a intake fan and two circulation fans that are pointed on the first two bunks or if you have enough commissary or fighting power you can control the fans, and TDCJ sales fans but Hutchins does not allow them!!!!! So if you ask me i think something needs to be done. My sincerest regards to the McCollum family.