Frail people are left to die in prison as judges fail to act on a law to free them

Jimmy Dee Stout outside his brother's home in Round Rock, Texas. Stout had served about half of his 15-year sentence for a drug conviction when he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer last year. (Julia Robinson for KHN)

Jimmy Dee Stout was serving time on drug charges when he got grim news early last year.

Doctors told Stout, now 62, the sharp pain and congestion in his chest were caused by stage 4 lung cancer, a terminal condition.