US Supreme Court says Rastafarian man shaved by prison guards can’t sue

The US Supreme Court declined to allow a Rastafarian man, Damon Landor, to sue Louisiana state prison officials. The lawsuit stemmed from an incident where guards allegedly held Landor down and shaved his head bald, which violated his religious beliefs requiring him to grow his hair. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court's dismissal of Landor's suit. The Court agreed that individual prison officials and guards could not be sued for monetary damages under the specific federal law protecting incarcerated individuals from religious discrimination.

The US Supreme Court has ruled that a former Louisiana inmate, Damon Landor, cannot sue prison officials for forcibly shaving his dreadlocks. In a 6-3 decision, the court stated that Landor is not entitled to monetary damages under the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) because the law does not apply to individual state employees. The justices reasoned that state employees did not consent to personal lawsuits when RLUIPA was enacted in 2000. Landor, a Rastafarian, argued that the forced shaving violated his religious rights, as uncut, uncombed hair into dreadlocks is a symbol of devotion for Rastafarians. This ruling contrasts with recent Supreme Court decisions that have generally favored religious-liberty claims.

The Supreme Court has ruled that a former Louisiana inmate, Damon Landor, cannot sue prison officials who cut his dreadlocks in violation of his Rastafari religious beliefs. While the justices acknowledged the inmate's mistreatment, they determined that the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act does not permit lawsuits for monetary damages against individuals for violating inmates' religious rights. This decision upholds lower court rulings that found the law cannot be used to hold those who violate inmates' rights financially responsible. The court declined to apply a previous ruling that allowed lawsuits under a similar statute. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, arguing that this ruling provides little incentive for prison officials to comply with federal law. Louisiana has since amended its prison grooming policy.

The US Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, ruled that a Rastafarian man, Damon Landor, cannot sue Louisiana prison officials for monetary damages after guards forcibly shaved his hair, which violated his religious beliefs. Landor's religion requires him to grow uncut hair, and he had grown his locks for over 20 years. The court found that the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) does not permit individuals to sue state prison officials for monetary damages. Landor had reminded officials of a prior ruling that protected Rastafarians' hair, but his hair was still forcibly cut. The three liberal justices dissented, arguing that this decision leaves prisoners remediless against religious freedom violations.