“Repeatedly, Plaintiffs have asked RIDOC officials for permission to obtain Native American religious items, participate in Native American ceremonies, and receive guidance from a Native American elder, but Defendants have denied all of these requests,” the lawsuit alleges.
The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit alleging that at least five Native American men incarcerated in Cranston, Rhode Island’s adult correctional facility have been denied the ability to practice their religion.
According to Rhode Island Currentthe lawsuit asks the court to issue an order allowing the men to participate in certain local religious traditions, including pipe and sweat lodge ceremonies, smoke ceremonies, drumming and powwows.
The 38-page lawsuit names the following plaintiffs: Jaquontee Reels, Anthony Moore, Louis Seignious, Craig Robinson, and Wallace Cable. All five incarcerated in the adult correctional facility’s maximum security block are being represented by attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island and the Roger Williams University School of Law’s Prisoners’ Rights Litigation Clinic.
gave Current notes that this is at least the third lawsuit in as many years that organizations have filed against Rhode Island, accusing the state of implementing correctional policies that impede prisoners’ rights to worship freely.
“Prisons across the country include all the traditional practices these inmates are asking for, but Rhode Island continues to deny them,” said Jared Goldstein, director of the RWU Law Clinic. “It has to stop.”
Each of the five men say they filed complaints to challenge the lack of approved religious services and housing for Native Americans. Their complaints were ignored, and their petitions were generally rejected.
“Repeatedly, Plaintiffs have asked RIDOC officials for permission to obtain Native American religious items, participate in Native American ceremonies, and receive guidance from a Native American elder, but Defendants have denied all of these requests,” the lawsuit alleges.
Advocates for the inmates also noted that, under the terms of the April 2025 settlement, the state agreed to establish new procedures for inmates with religions not expressly recognized by the prison system to request approval for religious goods and services consistent with their beliefs. However, the lawsuit claims the state failed to act within the 120-day time frame set by the settlement and has yet to adopt any corrective policies.
“Even after two other lawsuits, RIDOC continues to ignore the rights of incarcerated Native American people,” said Rhode Island Executive Director Steven Brown. “Even in prison, freedom of religion is a fundamental right, and we at ACI will continue to work to prevent suppression of that right.”
Sources
The ACLU filed another lawsuit at ACI over the denial of religious rights to Native American prisoners.
Rails v. RI Dept. of Corrections
