Hearing on Tuesday Over First Amendment Rights in Louisiana Prison
The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit will hear arguments tomorrow, August 30th, in the case of an inmate's right to receive a religious publication, “The Final Call,” which has been denied to him.
Henry Leonard, a prisoner held at the David Wade Correctional Center, is a member of the Nation of Islam, the religious order which publishes “The Final Call.” The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections denied Mr. Leonard “The Final Call” because prison officials found the content offensive. On March 31, 2010, Judge Donald Walter of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana ruled that denying the publication to Mr. Leonard violates his First Amendment rights and ordered the State of Louisiana to allow him to resume receiving it.
The State of Louisiana appealed to the U.S. Fifth Circuit, which hears oral arguments on Tuesday. The ACLU continues to maintain that the First Amendment protects Mr. Leonard's exercise of religion, even in prison.
Arguing for Henry Leonard is Justin Harrison, ACLU Foundation of Louisiana Staff Attorney.
The suit is styled “Henry Leonard v. State of Louisiana et al.” The ACLU of Louisiana's brief on Mr. Leonard's behalf may be found at this link.
The David Wade Correctional Center is in Homer Louisiana, near the Arkansas border.
Sad! Let the Man read.
ReplyDeleteOffensive??? To Who? and Why?This is just another attack on the truth from satan, white people need to figure out that the days of dictating what we as black people can or cannot do,say,read,write has come to an end .
ReplyDelete