Fact Check: Inmate's Dreadlocks Cut by Guards After Nearly 20 Years of Growth
What We Know
The claim that an inmate's dreadlocks were cut by guards after nearly 20 years of growth is substantiated by the case of Damon Landor, a Rastafarian who was incarcerated in Louisiana. Landor had not cut his hair in almost two decades when he began a five-month prison term for drug possession in 2020. His dreadlocks, which fell nearly to his knees, were cut off by prison guards at the Raymond Laborde Correctional Center in Cottonport, Louisiana, despite his religious beliefs that require him to let his hair grow long (New York Times, AP News).
Landor carried a copy of a judicial decision from 2017 that stated Rastafarian inmates must be allowed to keep their dreadlocks under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). However, after presenting this document to a guard, it was discarded, and subsequently, guards restrained him and shaved his head to the scalp (Washington Post, Deseret News).
Analysis
The evidence supports the claim that Damon Landor's dreadlocks were forcibly cut by prison guards, which he argues was a violation of his religious rights. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear his case, which centers on whether he can sue the prison officials for damages under federal law. The lower courts acknowledged the appalling nature of Landor's treatment but ruled that the law did not permit him to hold the officials liable for damages (AP News, ABC News).
The sources reporting on this case are credible, including major news outlets like the New York Times, AP News, and the Washington Post, which provide detailed accounts of the events and the legal context surrounding Landor's situation. These outlets have a history of reliable reporting, particularly on legal matters, which adds to the credibility of the claims being made.
Conclusion
The claim that an inmate's dreadlocks were cut by guards after nearly 20 years of growth is True. The evidence presented in various credible news sources confirms that Damon Landor's dreadlocks were forcibly shaved by prison guards in violation of his religious beliefs, and this incident is currently the subject of a Supreme Court case.
Sources
- Supreme Court to Hear Rastafarian Prisoner's Suit Over Shaved Dreadlocks
- Supreme Court will hear case of Rastafarian whose dreadlocks were ...
- Supreme Court takes case of Rastafarian whose head was shaved by prison ...
- Supreme Court takes up religious freedom case for former inmate
- SCOTUS to hear case of Rastafarian whose dreadlocks were ... - ABC News
