Six inmates at a New York state prison are suing to corrections agency so they can watch the April 8 solar eclipse from the facility, a lawsuit states.
Several inmates at a New York state prison are suing the corrections department over its decision to lock down correctional facilities during next week’s total solar eclipse, saying it infringes on their right to practice their faith.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court by six inmates incarcerated at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility in Woodbourne, located about 110 miles north of New York City.
The inmates vary in religious backgrounds and include an atheist, a Baptist, a Muslim, a Seventh-Day Adventist, and two practitioners of Santeria.
«A solar eclipse is a rare, natural phenomenon with great religious significance to many,» the complaint states. «To this day, solar eclipses, like the one on April 8th, are recognized by various religions as special events that warrant gathering, celebration, worship, and prayer.
