More than a dozen men in Minnesota’s Sex Offender Program are suing the state’s human services department, alleging the agency has banned the practice of religious gatherings for more than six months in the wake of COVID-19.
Attorney Erick Kaardal, who filed the federal lawsuit on behalf of 15 clients, said the restrictions inside the Moose Lake facility continued even after a June executive order from Gov. Tim Walz that allowed places of worship to reopen at 50 percent capacity.
@ cherokeejack
These guys are not incarcerated. They are civilly committed. It should give them more rights.
If nothing else any publicity they get that brings light to their predicament is probably good.
Civil commitment is to me being locked in a closet and forgotten.
Virginia has some lawmakers trying to stop civil commitment. Thank you for sharing this Capt. Munsey.
I am a Christian but all people are supposed to be guaranteed the right to worship. I fear that since these folks are incarcerated, the courts will rule it to either be a safety measure or health emergency or both.
Again, they say once incarcerated, your bill of rights are cut down by a large margin. Once they have you behind bars it is your word against the corrections staff. And 9 times out of 10, most people will take the word of the guards and staff over a bunch of felons.
I also fear that although this group is doing the right thing standing up for the their right to worship, there will be some sort of repercussions for filing the complaint.
Stay strong, stay in the fight.
“If you are ashamed of me and of my teaching, then the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
Luke 9:26