NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A federal judge has ruled that a Louisiana
state prison can't censor or restrict inmates' access to copies of
The Final Call newspaper, a Nation of Islam publication.
Wednesday's ruling by U.S. District Judge Donald Walter in
Shreveport orders the David Wade Correctional Center to deliver
future issues of the newspaper to Henry Leonard, a prisoner who
claims the Homer prison violated his right to free exercise of
religion.
The prison says it restricted Leonard's access to the newspaper
because of security concerns about articles it found to be racially
discriminatory.
But the judge expressed concern that completely banning the
newspaper was an exaggerated response to those concerns.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana backed Leonard's
lawsuit.


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