US Supreme Court says Rastafarian man shaved by prison guards can’t sue
Summary
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Rastafarian man who was forced to have his dreadlocks cut in prison cannot sue the prison officials for violating his religious rights under a federal law. The court said individual prison workers cannot be sued because the law only applies to the government entity, not its employees.Key Facts
- Damon Landor, a Rastafarian and former prisoner, had his dreadlocks cut against his religious beliefs.
- Landor tried to sue the prison officials under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), which protects religious rights in prisons.
- The Supreme Court’s conservative majority said Landor cannot sue the individual prison employees because they have not agreed to be sued under this law.
- Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that suing employees under RLUIPA is like trying to sue someone who never agreed to a contract.
- The ruling confirmed a lower court’s decision that prisoners can’t seek money damages from individual employees even if their rights were violated.
- Prison officials cut Landor’s hair at Raymond Laborde Correctional Center in Louisiana in 2020 after ignoring his request not to cut it.
- The three liberal justices disagreed, saying the law is meant to protect prisoners by holding officials accountable.
- Landor said he will keep trying to get justice and wants to prevent this from happening to others.
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