Eclipse Has 'Religious Significance' Say Inmates Suing NY Prisons

WOODBOURNE, NY — Six prison inmates with varying religious backgrounds have sued New York State for permission to watch the eclipse on Monday, the Associated Press reported.

They include an atheist, a Baptist, a Muslim, a Seventh-Day Adventist and two practitioners of Santeria all at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility in Sullivan County. They're upset that the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision has all state correctional facilities operating on a holiday schedule Monday — which means no outdoor recreation time in the afternoon.

"A solar eclipse is a rare, natural phenomenon with great religious significance to many" and such events "warrant gathering, celebration, worship, and prayer," the complaint reads, according to the AP.

Department of Corrections spokesperson Thomas Mailey said in an email to Patch that the department does not comment on pending litigation.

"Pursuant to Directive 4202, the Department takes all requests for religious accommodations under consideration. Religious requests related to viewing the eclipse are currently under review," he said.

The path of the total eclipse runs from Texas to Maine, including through western New York, the Finger Lakes and the Adirondacks. Woodbourne is just outside that path. There, the eclipse will take place between 2:10 p.m. and 4:35 p.m., covering 94.7 percent of the sun at peak, according to NASA.

Mailey added that the department's approach aims to ensure the safety of New York State's incarcerated population and releasees as well as DOCCS staff.

"In anticipation of the eclipse, Acting Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III issued a memo to staff and the incarcerated population detailing the Department’s operational changes for the eclipse, as well as safety precautions to be followed during the event. Superintendents will meet with Incarcerated Liaison Committees in advance of the event to discuss the precautions," he said. "On the day of the eclipse, all DOCCS correctional facilities will operate on a holiday schedule with only programs required by statute operating. The Department has ordered and will distribute solar eclipse safety glasses for all staff, incarcerated individuals, and community supervision bureaus at DOCCS facilities in the path of totality in the event they will be able to view the eclipse from their assigned work location or housing units."

In addition, he said, the DOCCS is working with the New York State Eclipse Interagency Task Force to ensure DOCCS visitors and staff are not stuck in traffic or otherwise stranded given the expected surge of visitors expected in the region during the eclipse.

"For this reason, visitation will be suspended at all DOCCS facilities in the path of totality on Monday, April 8, 2024 and will resume on Tuesday, April 9," he said.

The prisons affected by the visitation suspension include: Adirondack, Albion, Altona, Attica, Auburn, Bare Hill, Cape Vincent, Cayuga, Clinton, Collins, Five Points, Franklin, Gouverneur, Groveland, Lakeview Shock, Marcy, Mid-State, Mohawk, Orleans, Riverview, Upstate, Wende, and Wyoming.

Visitation in all other DOCCS facilities will end at 2 p.m. on April 8, Mailey said. The state has 44 prisons.

In addition, at all facilities in the path of totality, Family Reunion Program units will be vacated on Sunday. FRP visits may resume at facilities within the path of totality on April 9. These include facilities that utilize the shared site of an FRP facility in the glide path, he said.

FRP units at facilities that are not located in the path of totality must be vacated and FRP visits terminated by noon on Monday. Normal operations will resume on April 9, Mailey said.

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