A Muslim prisoner may proceed with a religious discrimination suit against Virginia prison officials after the Fourth Circuit found he raised legitimate claims that the denial of his access to a televised prayer service and his request to grow a beard violated federal law.
The Virginia Department of Corrections’ justifications for denying Alfonza Greenhill access to prayer service and interfering with his ability to maintain a four-inch beard are invalid under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit said Dec. 6. ...