South Carolina prison bans all books – Except Bible
The ACLU has been forced to sue the Berkeley County jail in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, to end the prison’s blatantly illegal policy that bans all reading material … except for the Bible. Inmates are allowed to have softback Bibles, but only if they are sent directly from the publisher. They can’t have Qur’ans, or even Prison Legal News, which carries articles about prisoner rights and legal news. And I’m sure you can imagine what the prison warden would say if a prisoner wanted access to a computer so he could check on what’s going down at MadMikesAmerica.
From the ACLU
Filed on behalf of Prison Legal News, a monthly journal on prison law distributed across the nation to prisoners, attorneys, judges, law libraries and other subscribers, the lawsuit charges that jail officials violate the rights of Prison Legal News under the speech, establishment and due process clauses of the First and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution by refusing to deliver copies of the journal and other magazines and books to detainees.
“This is nothing less than unjustified censorship,” said David Shapiro, staff attorney with the ACLU National Prison Project. “There is no legitimate justification for denying detainees access to periodicals and, in the process, shutting them off from the outside world in draconian ways.”
I’m Governor Mark Sanford, pass me that Bible so I can swear I wasn’t in Argentina
About Post Author
Holte Ender
More Stories
Space Force Troopers Get a New Name
If “troops” seemed too boring of a way to refer to the members of Space Force, never fear—there’s a new label
Fauci: More Than 180K Have Died, Not Just 9K, As In Trump Tweet
There have been nearly 185,000 deaths in the US from COVID-19, and Dr. Anthony Fauci is backing up that number.
How Scott Pruitt’s 43K Phone Booth Was Seriously Illegal
It may be a fresh week for Scott Pruitt, but it’s not one void of uncomfortable headlines. ABC News reports a government watchdog has determined the EPA “violated section 710” of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act when it spent $43,000 on a “secure” phone booth for Pruitt’s office.
Trump Trashes Comey As ‘Not Smart’ and Should Be ‘Jailed’
We know he’s certifiable, and each day puts an emphatic point on that observation as Donald Trump went on a Twitter tear against James Comey this morning, just ahead of the former FBI director’s big first interview.
Greta the Rescue Dog Shot and Killed By Airport Authorities
A Canadian rescue dog’s journey to her new home ended tragically after she escaped her kennel and ran loose on an airport runway in Winnipeg. Greta—a 2-year-old Labrador mix who was on her way from northern Manitoba to a home in the city.
“Mice Ate the Marijuana” Cops Claim Mice Ate Half a Ton of Pot
“The mice ate the marijuana” was an excuse no more believable than “the dog ate my homework” for authorities in Argentina, where eight police officers have been fired over the disappearance of around 1,200 pounds of pot.
Probably the only book the sheriff knows exists and he can’t even read it. Southern sheriffs are not known for their intellect you know.
Nothing to read but The Bible? That’s my definition of hell–a real boring one at least.
Do they have any notion of rehabilitation? Kinda hard to become anything but a dumbed down version of what you went in as if you don’t have reading opportunities.
Rehab is not part of their thinking, locking people up is.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Michael Scott, Holte Ender. Holte Ender said: RT @madmike1 South Carolina prison bans all books – Except Bible http://bit.ly/9mrqqn […]
I’m from AZ and I can’t STAND Sheriff Joe, but I really didn’t have a problem with him banning girlie mags from the county jail, as it’s not supposed to be “fun” while you’re in the slammer. But the Bible ONLY in this SC jail??? At least let them read Catcher in the Rye!
Agreed Nikolai!
Actually, if they are trying to make the prisons a place of punishment, then I can think of no better way!
This will be an easy win for the ACLU.
Hard core criminals could get a lot of tips out the Old Testament.