The Supreme Court is reviewing whether former Louisiana inmate Damon Landor can sue correctional officers for damages after they forcibly cut off his dreadlocks—an act he says violated his Rastafari faith. Lower courts criticized the incident but ruled that under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA), Landor cannot seek compensation from officials in their individual roles.
Supported by the Trump administration, Landor seeks approval from the Court to allow damages claims against local and state prison officials for infringing on religious rights. The case is expected to be heard in the upcoming term, with decisions anticipated by next summer.
Landor’s legal team points to the Supreme Court’s unanimous 2020 ruling on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)—a federal law similar to RLUIPA—that confirmed individuals can sue federal officials for damages when religious freedoms are violated. They argue RLUIPA should offer the same protections at the state and local level, writing in court briefs: “The denial of a damages remedy… would undermine that important purpose.”
RLUIPA prohibits states from imposing substantial burdens on religious practices unless they can show compelling governmental interests and have used the least restrictive means. Landor’s counsel noted that over one million incarcerated individuals could be affected by this legal precedent—yet current circuit court rulings often bar them from monetary relief.
Louisiana’s attorney general, while calling the dreadlocks incident “antithetical to religious freedom,” maintains RLUIPA does not provide a clear path to sue individual officials. The state also warned that allowing such lawsuits could worsen staffing shortages, as prison employees might become personally liable for unintended violations.
The Court also declined to immediately take up a parallel case involving Hindu inmate Sanjay Tripathy, who objected to mandatory participation in a sex-offender counseling program. That case is being held pending the outcome of Landor’s appeal.
