Supreme Court rules Rastafari man can’t sue Louisiana prison officials who cut his dreadlocks

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has barred a former Louisiana inmate from suing prison officials who cut his dreadlocks in violation of his Rastafari religious beliefs. The justices ruled Tuesday (June 23, 2026) against Damon Landor, holding that a federal law designed to protect inmates’ religious rights does not permit lawsuits for money damages. The high court agreed with lower courts that had ruled the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act can’t be used to hold those who violate inmates’ rights financially responsible. The justices declined to adopt the rationale from a 2020 decision that allowed Muslim men to sue over their inclusion on the FBI’s no-fly list under a sister statute.