Six men incarcerated at Woodbourne Correctional Facility in New York recently filed a federal lawsuit to be allowed to view the total solar eclipse happening on Monday. They argued that the statewide prison lockdown during the eclipse violated their constitutional right to practice their religion. Despite their varying religious beliefs, the men all considered the eclipse to be a religious event that they needed to witness and reflect on to observe their faiths. After their lawsuit, the New York State Department of Corrections agreed to allow these six men to view the eclipse at the upstate prison where they are held.
The men, represented by lawyer Chris McArdle, were thrilled with this outcome as it meant they could practice their sincerely held religious beliefs. However, while this resolution was a significant win for the inmates, the statewide prison lockdown during the eclipse remained in effect. A spokesman for the Department of Corrections stated that the lawsuit had come to an appropriate resolution, indicating that the department was satisfied with this compromise. Jeremy Zielinski, one of the men who filed the lawsuit, originally requested permission in January to watch the eclipse from Woodbourne’s main yard, citing his atheistic beliefs and the significance of eclipses in celebrating science and reason.
Despite Mr. Zielinski’s initial request being approved in March, the Department of Corrections announced a lockdown on all New York prisons during the solar eclipse. This decision was made to ensure the safety of staff, visitors, and the incarcerated population, as well as to maintain the integrity of the facilities during the event. The memo released by acting commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III stated that incarcerated individuals would remain in housing units except for emergency situations, effectively preventing them from observing the eclipse. The decision sparked the lawsuit from the six inmates at Woodbourne seeking the right to witness this rare astronomical event.
As of Thursday evening, the Department of Corrections had only agreed to allow the six men who filed the lawsuit to view the eclipse on Monday. However, the department also stated that other people in state prisons who wished to observe the eclipse for religious reasons could request permission. McArdle expressed his optimism that these requests would be evaluated similarly to those of their clients at Woodbourne, ensuring that all individuals with genuine religious beliefs would have the opportunity to view the eclipse. With the court’s assistance, the men were able to secure this decision with enough time before the eclipse, allowing them to practice their faith during this significant celestial event.
