WASHINGTON (ABP) – The United States Supreme Court ruled April 20
that a federal law protecting the religious liberty of prison inmates
does not entitle a prisoner to monetary damages if that right is denied.
Brent Walker of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious
Liberty criticized the 6-2 decision as a “pinched view” of the clear
intent of Congress when it passed the Religious Land Use and
Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000.
The Baptist Joint
Committee, which 11 years ago led a coalition that championed the
federal law designed to protect the religious freedom of prisoners and
in zoning and landmark laws, filed a brief
in the case supporting Texas inmate Harvey Sossaman, who due to
disciplinary confinement was not permitted to leave his cell to attend
worship services.
