(TheConservativeTimes.org) – A group of incarcerated criminals in New York will be able to view the upcoming Eclipse after suing the correctional facility for attempting to lock it down during the event.
Six prisoners in the Woodbourne correctional facility will be allowed to view the Eclipse in an outdoor space “in accordance with their sincerely held religious beliefs” according to their lawyers.
“We are pleased that, in response to our lawsuit alleging religious discrimination, New York state has entered into a binding settlement agreement that will allow our six clients to view the solar eclipse in accordance with their sincerely held religious beliefs,” said attorney Christopher McArdle.
The group originally sued the correctional facility by saying that locking down the facility violated their constitutional rights as they said they planned to lock it down during the solar event for safety reasons.
The plaintiffs referred to the Eclipse as a “rare, natural phenomenon with great religious significance to many.” The plaintiffs all identify with different religions including Christianity, atheism, Islam, and Santería.
The lawsuit even cited passages from the Bible where it mentioned the Eclipse and also a similar passage from an Islamic prayer that helped to prove their point in the lawsuit.
A spokesperson from the correctional facility said that they were already considering religious exemptions for the Eclipse even before this lawsuit was filed. It doesn’t specify how many exemptions they will allow but this case could potentially allow others to be able to see the solar event as well.
Copyright 2024, TheConservativeTimes.org
