export_ofoct.com

[00:00.42] Prisoners in the U.S. state of New York have taken legal action against the state corrections department.

[00:11.58] They started the measure over the state’s decision to lock down prisons during next Monday’s total solar eclipse.

[00:22.47] The case was filed last week in a federal court in upstate New York.

[00:29.65] It argues that the April 8 lockdown violate prisoners’ constitutional rights to practice their faiths by preventing them from taking part in an important religious event.

[00:47.71] Six prisoners with different religious backgrounds brought forward the case at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility in Woodbourne, New York.

[01:01.25] They include two Christians, two followers of a Cuban-born religious tradition called Santeria, a Muslim as well as an atheist, someone who does not believe in the existence of God.

[01:20.64] Their legal document, or complaint, says, “A solar eclipse is a rare, natural phenomenon with great religious significance to many.”

[01:34.20] It says the Bible describes an eclipse-like phenomenon when Jesus Christ was on the cross.

[01:43.76] Additionally, Islamic works report a similar event when the Prophet Muhammad’s son died.

[01:53.05] The complaint says that one of the prisoners involved with the case, the atheist, received special permission last month to view the eclipse using state-provided glasses.

[02:09.52] But that was before the system-wide lockdown was issued.

[02:15.09] Four of the other prisoners involved with the case then sought permission but were denied by officials.

[02:24.66] The officials ruled the solar eclipse is not listed as a holy day for their religions, the complaint says.

[02:35.02] The sixth prisoner said he never received an answer.

[02:40.33] Thomas Mailey is a corrections department spokesperson.

[02:45.64] He said the agency does not comment on current court cases.

[02:52.29] But he said it takes all requests for religious accommodations under consideration.

[03:00.52] He said those related to viewing the eclipse are currently under review.

[03:08.50] Daniel Martuscello III overseas the department.

[03:14.36] He issued a message on March 11 saying that all state prisons will operate on a holiday daily plan next Monday.

[03:26.57] That means prisoners will remain in their housing areas except for emergency situations in the afternoon, between 18:00 and 21:00 UTC.

[03:43.58] Those are generally the normal hours for outdoor activities in prisons, the court case says.

[03:53.13] There will also be no visitation at more than 20 prisons in the path where the solar eclipse will be strongest, called the path of totality, next Monday.

[04:08.80] Visitation at other prisons will end at 18:00 UTC.

[04:17.57] Martuscello said the department will give out solar eclipse safety glasses for prisoner employees and prisoners at prisons in the path of totality.

[04:30.61] They are doing this so they can see the eclipse from their work or housing areas.

[04:38.04] Communities in western and northern areas of the state are expected to have the best viewing of the total eclipse.

[04:49.19] Those areas include Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Lake Placid, and Plattsburgh.

[04:58.22] The total eclipse is expected to be seen in those parts of New York around 19:15 UTC.

[05:08.59] And it will only last for a few minutes as the moon passes between Earth and the sun.

[05:17.08] It will temporarily block the sun and turn day into night.

[05:23.19] A total solar eclipse was last seen in the U.S. in 2017 and will not occur in the country again until 2044.