Judge orders Angola provide Farm Line workers access to shade, rest, sunscreen, and water

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On Tuesday, in his ruling Jackson allowed the Farm Line to continue — just as other agricultural work in Louisiana continued during the hot weather, he wrote.

But in order to continue, the Farm Line must undergo marked changes, Jackson wrote, as he issued a temporary restraining order, ordering prison officials to “take immediate measures to correct the glaring deficiencies in their heat-related policies.”

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Department of Corrections lawyers had argued that stopping Farm Line work in high heat would deprive thousands of prisoners at Angola of fresh vegetables harvested from the fields and used in prison kitchens. Also, Angola work crews had access to reasonable breaks and even sipped on Gatorade, they contended.

Jackson found otherwise, as he rendered his decision. “The wealth of evidence here shows that incarcerated persons laboring on the Farm Line are not provided with shade, sunscreen, or required rest breaks. Further, the declarations from named Plaintiffs uniformly provide that breaks are seldomly given, that the water provided is dirty, that they are required to work beyond their physical capacities, and that they are not provided with other necessary protective equipment, like lace-up boots or sunhats.”

Without relief, Jackson wrote, “It is apparent that the immediate threat of irreparable harm amounts to death and permanent injury for incarcerated persons laboring on the Farm Line.”

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