US Prisoners Suing to Watch Total Eclipse after Lockdown Order

Prisoners in the U.S. state of New York have taken legal action against the state corrections department. They started the measure over the state's decision to lock down prisons during next Monday's total solar eclipse.

The case was filed last week in a federal court in upstate New York. 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.

Six prisoners with different religious backgrounds brought forward the case at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility in Woodbourne, New York. 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.

Their legal document, or complaint, says, "A solar eclipse is a rare, natural phenomenon with great religious significance to many." It says the Bible describes an eclipse-like phenomenon when Jesus Christ was on the cross. Additionally, Islamic works report a similar event when the Prophet Muhammad's son died.

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. But that was before the system-wide lockdown was issued.

Four of the other prisoners involved with the case then sought permission but were denied by officials. The officials ruled the solar eclipse is not listed as a holy day for their religions, the complaint says. The sixth prisoner said he never received an answer.

Thomas Mailey is a corrections department spokesperson. He said the agency does not comment on current court cases. But he said it takes all requests for religious accommodations under consideration. He said those related to viewing the eclipse are currently under review.

Daniel Martuscello III overseas the department. He issued a message on March 11 saying that all state prisons will operate on a holiday daily plan next Monday.

That means prisoners will remain in their housing areas except for emergency situations in the afternoon, between 18:00 and 21:00 UTC. Those are generally the normal hours for outdoor activities in prisons, the court case says.

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. Visitation at other prisons will end at 18:00 UTC.

Martuscello said the department will give out solar eclipse safety glasses for prisoner employees and prisoners at prisons in the path of totality. They are doing this so they can see the eclipse from their work or housing areas.

Communities in western and northern areas of the state are expected to have the best viewing of the total eclipse. Those areas include Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Lake Placid, and Plattsburgh.

The total eclipse is expected to be seen in those parts of New York around 19:15 UTC. And it will only last for a few minutes as the moon passes between Earth and the sun. It will temporarily block the sun and turn day into night.

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

I'm Gregory Stachel.

Philip Marcelo reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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eclipse – n. an occasion when the sun looks like it is completely or partially covered with a dark circle because the moon is between the sun and the Earth

faith – n. a system of religious beliefs

athiest – n. a person who believes that God does not exist

phenomenon – n. something (such as an interesting fact or event) that can be observed and studied and that typically is unusual or difficult to understand or explain fully

significance – n. the quality of being important

accommodations – n. something done to provide what is needed or wanted for someone or something