Six inmates at a New York state prison sued the corrections department for infringing on their religious rights by locking down facilities during the total solar eclipse. The inmates argued that the solar eclipse is a religiously significant event that warrants gathering, celebration, worship, and prayer. The inmates involved in the lawsuit are Jeremy Zielinski, Travis Hudson, Bruce Moses, Oscar Nuñez, Jean Marc Desmarat, and David Haigh. A settlement was reached with the state Department of Corrections, allowing the inmates to view the solar eclipse.
The law firm representing the plaintiffs, Alston & Bird, filed a voluntary discontinuance following the settlement. The firm stated that New York State has entered into a binding settlement agreement that will allow the clients to view the solar eclipse in accordance with their religious beliefs. The inmates who will be able to view the eclipse are all incarcerated at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility and have varying religious beliefs and charges for which they are serving time.
Among the inmates involved in the lawsuit are those convicted of crimes such as first-degree rape, second-degree attempted murder, second-degree murder, second-degree assault, and first-degree manslaughter. The inmates practice religions such as atheism, Baptist, Santeria, Muslim, and Seventh Day Adventist. The lockdown decision was issued in March, stating that all prisons in New York would operate on a holiday schedule on April 8 due to the eclipse, with the next solar eclipse scheduled for 2044.
The inmates’ lawsuit against the corrections department led to a settlement that allows them to watch the total solar eclipse in accordance with their religious beliefs. The inmates argued that the solar eclipse is a religious event that should be observed with gathering, celebration, prayer, and worship. The law firm representing the plaintiffs filed a voluntary discontinuance following the settlement, ensuring that the inmates at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility can view the eclipse.
The inmates involved in the lawsuit have varying religious beliefs and charges for which they are serving time, with convictions ranging from rape to assault to murder. The lockdown decision was issued in March, with all New York prisons operating on a holiday schedule on April 8 due to the eclipse. This rare event prompted the inmates to take legal action to ensure they could observe the solar eclipse, with the next one not scheduled until 2044.
