Supreme Court Weighs Rastafarian Man's Religious Rights Claim Over Shorn Dreadlocks

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court connected Monday will measurement whether a devout Rastafarian tin bring a damages declare against Louisiana situation officials who trim his dreadlocks successful usurpation of his belief rights.

The court, which has a 6-3 blimpish majority, is often solicitous toward belief claims, though nan bulk of caller cases person progressive cases brought by conservative Christians.

Prior to nan 2020 incident astatine nan Raymond Laborde Correctional Center, Damon Landor had not trim his hairsbreadth for almost 20 years, following a believe known arsenic “the Nazarite vow.”

Landor was serving a five-month condemnation connected a drug-related complaint erstwhile he was transferred to nan facility.

Over his objections, a corrections serviceman handcuffed him to a chair while 2 others shaved his head.

“In an instant, they stripped him of decades of belief believe astatine nan bosom of his identity,” Landor’s lawyers wrote successful a tribunal filing.

The officers went up moreover though Landor had shown them a transcript of a binding tribunal ruling that said it would beryllium a belief authorities usurpation to trim a Rastafarian’s dreadlocks.

Landor subsequently revenge suit against nan state. The declare astatine nan Supreme Court revolves astir whether he tin declare money damages nether a rule called nan Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, aliases RLUIPA.

The state, represented by Attorney General Elizabeth Murrill, a Republican, has conceded that Landor’s suit raised claims “antithetical to belief state and adjacent curen of authorities prisoners” and said nan situation strategy has since changed its grooming policy.

But she argues that damages are not warranted.

Landor’s lawyers are asking nan Supreme Court to norm that damages should beryllium allowed nether RLUIPA, citing a ruling successful 2020 that said damages are disposable nether a akin rule called nan Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Without damages, nan protection afforded by RLUIPA would “ring hollow,” they wrote.

The authorities says nan result is not wished by really nan tribunal ruled successful nan 2020 lawsuit successful portion because that conflict progressive federal, not state, officials.

Lower courts ruled successful favour of nan state, prompting Landor to move to nan Supreme Court.