Published on: Monday, August 4, 2025
Allegation: Following multiple days of 100-plus degree heat inside Colorado City, Tex. prison, nurse sees inmate naked and nonverbal on the floor of his cell with four trays of untouched food beside him. She encourages him "to get up and get on with his day." He dies. Fifth Circuit (unpublished): It is clearly established that baking inmates to death violates the Constitution. And given that hundreds of such deaths have occurred in Texas in recent years, claims against some supervisors, in addition to the nurse, might have been dismissed too hastily.
The case is Coones v. Cogburn, No. 24-10777 (5th Cir. 2025).