Overview
- Oral arguments are set for Monday, with the Court reviewing if a federal prison‑religion statute allows suits against individual officials for money damages.
- Lower courts condemned Damon Landor’s treatment but ruled RLUIPA does not permit damages, and the 5th Circuit affirmed and declined full rehearing.
- Landor’s account says a guard trashed a court order on religious hair accommodations before officers handcuffed him and shaved knee‑length dreadlocks.
- The Department of Justice and an ideologically broad array of religious and civil‑rights groups support allowing damages, citing accountability and enforceability.
- Louisiana officials denounce the incident and have revised grooming rules, but argue the statute creates no personal liability and warn of staffing impacts, as supporters point to RFRA’s Tanzin precedent and existing safeguards like the PLRA and qualified immunity.