FILE - Inmates in New York are suing the state corrections department over the decision to lock down prisons during the total solar eclipse, Monday, April 8, 2024. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP, File)
In New York, a group of inmates has filed a lawsuit against the state's corrections department regarding the decision to impose a lockdown during the upcoming total solar eclipse scheduled for next Monday. The lawsuit was lodged in federal court on Friday, arguing that the lockdown infringes upon inmates' constitutional rights to practice their religious beliefs.
The plaintiffs, consisting of six incarcerated individuals with diverse religious affiliations, including Baptist, Muslim, Seventh-Day Adventist, Santeria practitioners, and an atheist, are currently held at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility in Woodbourne.
According to the complaint, the rare celestial event of a solar eclipse holds significant religious importance for many people. It references passages from the Bible and Islamic texts describing similar occurrences, suggesting that such events warrant gatherings, celebrations, worship, and prayer.
One of the plaintiffs, an atheist, had initially received special permission to view the eclipse with provided safety glasses. However, this permission was revoked following the implementation of the system-wide lockdown.
Subsequently, four other plaintiffs sought permission but were denied, with officials contending that the solar eclipse is not recognized as a holy day within their respective religious beliefs. The sixth inmate did not receive a response to their request.
The New York Department of Corrections spokesperson, Thomas Mailey, refrained from commenting on ongoing legal matters but emphasized that all requests for religious accommodations are carefully reviewed. Requests pertaining to eclipse viewing are currently under consideration.
In a memo issued on March 11, Daniel Martuscello III, the acting commissioner of the corrections department, announced that all state correctional facilities would operate on a holiday schedule during the eclipse event. Consequently, inmates would be confined to their housing units, except for emergencies, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., which coincides with the typical outdoor recreation hours in prisons.
Additionally, visitation will be suspended at nearly two dozen prisons located in the eclipse's path of totality, while visitation at other facilities will cease by 2 p.m.
To facilitate safe eclipse viewing, the department plans to distribute solar eclipse safety glasses to both staff and inmates at facilities in the eclipse's path. This will allow them to observe the phenomenon from their designated work locations or housing units.
Communities in the western and northern parts of New York, including Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Lake Placid, and Plattsburgh, are expected to have optimal viewing conditions for the total eclipse around 3:15 p.m. The total eclipse, anticipated to last a few minutes, will occur as the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, temporarily obscuring the sun's light.
