As the moon passes in front of the sun and casts a shadow over much of New York state for several minutes on Monday afternoon, millions of people will be able to witness this rare celestial phenomenon just by looking up. State prison inmates won't do that.
The state's Department of Corrections and Community Supervision announced last month that all New York prisons would be on lockdown during the eclipse due to safety concerns.
On Friday, six men incarcerated at an upstate prison filed a federal lawsuit against the department, alleging that denying them the opportunity to view the eclipse violates their constitutional right to practice their religion. woke up.
The men incarcerated at Woodbourne Correctional Facility in Sullivan County come from a variety of religious backgrounds, but court documents say the upcoming solar eclipse is something they “witnessed and reflected on in defense of their faith.” All believe that this is a religious event that must be held. .
“Many religions recognize the significance of this historic solar eclipse, and we advocate the right of all people to view it,” said attorney Chris McArdle, representing the plaintiffs. Ta.
The Bible describes an eclipse-like event during the crucifixion of Jesus, and according to Hadith, the Islamic holy book, a similar phenomenon occurred after the death of the Prophet Muhammad's son.
One of the men who filed the lawsuit, Jeremy Zielinski, is an atheist and said in court documents that he believes the eclipse is a special day that “celebrates all things science, reason, and atheism.”
According to court documents, Zielinski first applied for permission to view the eclipse from Woodbourne's main garden in January. After weeks of back and forth, prison officials approved Zielinski's request and even said they would provide him with eclipse safety glasses, prosecutors said.
According to court documents, Zielinski soon learned that other people at the prison also considered the eclipse to be of religious significance and were interested in seeing it. Zielinski reiterated his original request and asked that others be allowed to attend the games as well.
“Frankly, I would be very sad if I were the only person who could see this event,” Zielinski wrote in the request. He added: “Solar eclipses are important because they evoke a sense of awe and deep reflection, and they are a rare opportunity for all to come together, enjoy our common humanity and share the joy of being alive.”
And on March 11, Daniel F. Martucello III, acting director of the state Department of Corrections, orders all correctional facilities to be placed on lockdown from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (normal outdoor recreation hours) on the day of the eclipse. released a statewide memo. .
“Incarcerated individuals will remain in congregate housing, except in emergencies,” Martucello said in the memo.
He said 23 facilities on the total path (where the moon passes directly above the sun, temporarily blocking all sunlight) will have no visitation that day, and all other prisons will have no visitation. It added that it would end at 2 p.m.
Martusello said in the memo that these measures are “to ensure the safety of staff, visitors and incarcerated individuals, and to ensure the integrity of the facility during this event.”
However, he said the ministry will distribute safety glasses to prisons as a complete preventive measure.
McArdle said the department failed to adequately explain why the eclipse was a safety concern.
“Every night, when the sun goes down, there's a certain amount of darkness, so they should know how to deal with that,” he said. He pointed out that there was no such instruction when there was a partial solar eclipse in 2017.
A department spokesperson did not elaborate on why additional safety measures were deemed necessary during the eclipse and said in a statement that the department does not comment on pending litigation.
The lockdown announcement was a blow to Zielinski and other inmates. Even after the order was made, five other men who are now plaintiffs in the lawsuit also asked for permission to view the eclipse from Woodbourne's main gardens. Officials ignored or denied their requests, saying the eclipse was not among the holy days of their religion, according to court documents.
Some men expressed concern that the United States might not be able to see the next total solar eclipse, scheduled for 2044.
“This is the last solar eclipse that will occur in 20 years, and I am 60 years old,” plaintiff Jean-Marc Desmara, a Muslim, said in court documents.
McArdle said he was “optimistic that the department will do the right thing” and that the situation will be resolved in time.
The total path includes 29 counties in upstate and western New York. Locations outside that region are still expected to experience a dramatic partial solar eclipse.