Louisiana inmates renew push for heat protections at Angola prison, call conditions ‘modern-day slavery’

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Attorneys representing Angola inmates assigned to prison farm work are once again asking a federal judge to order heat protections before the upcoming summer.

The plaintiffs initially requested an emergency order from the federal court in May 2024 to halt outdoor work on the Farm Line during extreme summer heat. Arguments were heard in June, and by early July, the court granted an order requiring the state to change the Farm Line program when temperatures reach or exceed 88 degrees Fahrenheit in the heat index. According to the plaintiffs, that order has now expired.

“With that injunction now expired, and another heat season fast approaching, Defendants’ deliberate indifference to the dangers of working the Farm Line in extreme heat threatens the lives and safety of Plaintiffs and all those similarly situated,” attorneys for the plaintiffs stated.

They argue that leaders of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections and Angola have shown “deliberate indifference to the dangers” of forcing inmates to work in extreme temperatures.

An attorney for the plaintiffs said that while the state has expanded who qualifies to be considered sensitive groups who are to be brought inside on hot days, they raised the heat threshold to 91 degrees in the heat index.

“Nearly a full year after the courts ordered the State to change its practices to ensure the health and safety of incarcerated workers, the State’s response to the judge’s orders has decreased protections. The State of Louisiana continues to exploit people under its care without regard to their mental or physical health or safety,” said Samantha Pourciau, senior staff attorney at the Promise of Justice Initiative.

Lawsuit alleges Eighth Amendment violation

A lawsuit filed in September 2023 claims the Farm Line violates inmates’ Eighth Amendment right to protection against cruel and unusual punishment. The plaintiffs describe the farm work as “humiliating and degrading” as well as “arbitrary and traumatic,” particularly during the intense heat of Louisiana’s summers.

Advocates said the trial start date was postponed indefinitely by a judge.

“This is something we will bring for as many summers as we need to. But, hopefully, we will get a final judgment in this case. We’ll get a trial on the calendar, and we can get to a final judgment, so we don’t have to keep seeking this interim relief,” Pourciau said.

The lawsuit argues that the extreme heat in prisons can be considered cruel and unusual punishment. In a similar case, a federal judge in Texas recently ruled that extreme heat in its prisons is “plainly unconstitutional” but stopped short of ordering air conditioners to be installed.

State’s response

In response to the lawsuit, the state argues that attempts to halt Farm Line work are too far-reaching and exceed constitutional requirements. The state contends that the agricultural industry’s standards do not align with what the plaintiffs are seeking and claims that some allegations made in the lawsuit are inaccurate.

State policies purportedly designed to protect workers include:

• Reassessing temperatures every two hours.
• Issuing heat alerts when temperatures exceed 88 degrees.
• Providing breaks for rest and water every 30 minutes during a heat alert.

According to the state, stopping Farm Line operations during high heat would have severe financial repercussions, as the farm harvests food for the inmates to eat.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs, however, argue that these policies are inadequate and fail to address the severe health risks associated with extreme heat. They describe the work assignment, active since 1893, as “modern-day slavery,” pointing to the fact that some inmates are paid as little as two cents per hour for their labor.

The plaintiffs also argue that individuals convicted by non-unanimous juries should not be forced into Farm Line work, as it violates their 13th Amendment rights. U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson previously ruled in June 2024 that while some claims remain viable, asking the court to determine the validity of those sentences while also arguing they were not duly convicted by a unanimous jury is a “paradoxical conclusion.”

According to previous rulings, Judge Jackson acknowledged the state’s policies aimed at protecting inmates from heat-related health concerns but noted that those policies were often “irrational” and insufficient.

A new motion filed this week seeks an order that would reinstate heat protections as the next hot season approaches.

The Hill, Louisiana First News’s news partner, contributed to this report.

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