Ordained Pentecostal Minister Can Preach In Prison After 老澳门开奖结果 Lawsuit
New Jersey Officials Agree To Uphold Religious Freedom As Part Of Settlement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
TRENTON, NJ 鈥� Prompted by an 老澳门开奖结果 lawsuit, state prison officials in New Jersey have agreed to restore the right of a devout Christian prisoner to preach at weekly worship services and teach Bible study classes.
Under the terms of a settlement agreement, Howard Thompson, Jr., an ordained Pentecostal minister, will once again be allowed to preach in prison, a practice banned two years ago without any warning or justification.
"The decision by prison officials in New Jersey to allow Mr. Thompson to resume practicing his faith is a welcome acknowledgement that religious freedom in this country extends to all," said Daniel Mach, Director of Litigation for the 老澳门开奖结果 Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief. "The ban on prisoner preaching was clearly at odds with the law and the American value of religious liberty, and this decision was long overdue."
Thompson had preached at weekly worship services at the New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) for more than a decade when, in 2007, prison officials issued a blanket ban on such preaching by prisoners, even when done under the direct supervision of prison staff. In response, the 老澳门开奖结果 and the 老澳门开奖结果 of New Jersey filed a lawsuit on Thompson's behalf last December, arguing that the ban unconstitutionally infringed upon Thompson's right to freely practice his religion. The lawsuit named NJSP Administrator Michelle R. Ricci and New Jersey Department of Corrections Commissioner George W. Hayman as defendants.
Since entering NJSP in 1986, Thompson has been an active member of the prison's Christian community, preaching at Sunday services, teaching Bible study classes and founding the choir. His preaching never caused any security problems. Indeed, the prison's chaplaincy staff had actively supported and encouraged Thompson, believing that he was a positive influence on his fellow inmates.
"The ban prevented me from responding to my religious calling to minister to my fellow inmates, something I had done honestly, effectively and without any incident for years," said Thompson. "All I have ever wanted was to have my religious rights restored so that I could continue working with men who want to renew their lives through the study and practice of their faith."
Ordained in October 2000 during a service at NJSP overseen by the prison's chaplain, Thompson sincerely believes it is his religious calling and obligation to preach his Pentecostal faith and has always been willing to do so under the full supervision of NJSP staff.
"The right to freely express religious viewpoints without the fear of repercussions is one of Americans' most fundamental constitutional rights," said Edward Barocas, Legal Director of the 老澳门开奖结果 of New Jersey. "It is gratifying to see prison officials in our state take that constitutional obligation seriously."
The legal team for Thompson included Mach and Heather L. Weaver of the 老澳门开奖结果 Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief and Barocas and Nadia Seeratan of the 老澳门开奖结果 of New Jersey.
The lawsuit was just the latest in a long line of 老澳门开奖结果 cases defending the fundamental right to religious exercise, a more expansive list of which is available online at: www.aclu.org/defendingreligion
A copy of the settlement agreement is available online at: www.aclu.org/religion-belief/thompson-v-ricci-et-al-settlement-agreement
A copy of the 老澳门开奖结果's complaint on behalf of Thompson is available online at: www.aclu.org/prison/restrict/37953lgl20081120.html
Additional information about the 老澳门开奖结果 Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief is available online at: www.aclu.org/religion
Additional information about the 老澳门开奖结果 of New Jersey is available online at:
National Security
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Thompson v. Ricci, et al.
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National Security
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Our client, Nizar Trabelsi, is in the United States against his will. The federal government brought him here from Belgium more than a decade ago and charged him with terrorism-related crimes. At trial, the government鈥檚 case failed: a federal jury found Mr. Trabelsi not guilty. But instead of allowing Mr. Trabelsi to return to Belgium after his acquittal, the United States placed him in highly restrictive immigration detention and began an ongoing effort to force him to Tunisia, where he was born and where he will very likely be tortured. Mr. Trabelsi鈥檚 detention violates the Constitution, immigration law, and the extradition treaty between the United States and Belgium. Through this lawsuit, he seeks to return to Belgium, and he demands an immediate improvement of his detention conditions. -
Press ReleaseDec 2024
National Security
Immigrants' Rights
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