Six inmates who cited their “religious beliefs” in a lawsuit against their upstate New York prison have reached a deal that allows them to view the solar eclipse.
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Prisoners at the Woodbourne center, including a Baptist, a Muslim, a Seventh-day Adventist, two Santeria practitioners and even an atheist, will be able to view the eclipse.
Only these six people will be allowed to observe the astronomical event from their prison courtyard, their lawyers confirmed in a press release from the New York Post.
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The correctional center will even provide inmates with glasses to witness the phenomenon in complete safety “in accordance with their religious beliefs,” their lawyers say.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SPACE FOR LIFE
As for other prisoners, outdoor activities will be prohibited between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., a period when the Moon will eclipse the Sun to completely darken the sky.
Those who don’t have a religious reason to see the eclipse aren’t so lucky.
The deal was reached days after inmates filed a lawsuit, arguing they have a constitutional right to see the solar eclipse with their own eyes.
According to New York Postthey would characterize the phenomenon as “a religious event that they must witness and reflect on in order to reflect on their beliefs.”
