The U.S. Supreme Court rules that a former Louisiana inmate, Damon Landor, cannot sue prison officials for monetary damages after guards forcibly cut off his dreadlocks and shaved his head, which he says violated his Rastafarian religious beliefs. Multiple outlets report the court issued a 6–3 decision. The case is brought under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), a federal law intended to protect incarcerated people from religious discrimination.
According to reports, while Landor was detained in Louisiana on a drug-related charge, officers restrained him and removed his hair in 2020. Landor argues that cutting off his locs substantially burdens his religious practice, and he seeks relief under RLUIPA. The Supreme Court concludes that RLUIPA does not allow for damages claims against state employees in their personal capacities.
Several sources also note the dissents by the court’s three liberal justices, who argue the ruling narrows the practical availability of remedies for prisoners whose religious rights are violated. The decision is authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting.
