FORIMMEDIATERELEASE CONTACT:JimBrayFeb.29,2016 217-494-5532 EXERCISEOFRELIGIOUSFREEDOMRESULTS

INSOLITARYCONFINEMENT

AtheistexpelledfromprisonsubstanceabusetreatmentprogrambringslawsuitagainstIllinoisprisonofficialsCHICAGO–AnatheisticstateprisonerhasbeenexpelledfromasubstanceabusetreatmentprogramatSheridanCorrectionalCenterandpunishedforrefusingtostandduringaprayertoGod,accordingtoalawsuitfiledMondayintheU.S.DistrictCourt.Diagnosedwhileinhighschoolwithabrainmalformation,RayshawnVonperbandtunderwentbrainsurgeryandwasprescribedaddictivedrugsforpain.Substanceabusetreatmentiscriticaltohisrecovery,butthereisnosecularsubstanceabuseprogramavailableatSheridan,accordingtothelawsuit.“LikeallAmericans,Rayshawnhasaconstitutionalrighttothefreeexerciseofreligion,whichinRayshawn’scaseisatheism,”saidDavidM.Shapiro,aclinicalassistantprofessoroflawandattorneyfortheRoderickandSolangeMacArthurJusticeCenteratNorthwesternUniversitySchoolofLaw.“Becausestandingduringtheprayerwouldhaveviolatedhisbeliefsandconscience,hesatquietlywithoutcausinganydisruption.Prisonofficialsrespondedbyexpellinghimfromthesubstanceabuseprogram,andtheyorderedhimconfinedtohiscellfor90dayswithoutaccesstophone,exerciseyardorgym.”DefendantsinthesuitareJohnR.Baldwin,ActingDirectoroftheIllinoisDepartmentofCorrections;severalIDOCstaff;andWestcareFoundation,Inc.,whichistheIDOCcontractorprovidingthesubstanceabuseprogramatSheridan.

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Page2Feb.29,2016ThesuitallegesalldefendantsviolatedVonperbandt’srighttofreeexerciseofhisreligionandviolatedthefederalReligiousLandUseandInstitutionalizedPersonsAct.ItseeksacourtorderremovingVonperbandtfromsolitaryconfinementandestablishingasecularsubstanceabuseprogramattheprison.

###AbouttheRoderickandSolangeMacArthurJusticeCenterTheRoderickandSolangeMacArthurJusticeCenteradvocatesforhumanrightsandsocialjusticethroughlitigation.Asoneofthenation'spremiercivilrightsorganizations,theMacArthurJusticeCenterhasplayedaprominentroleinbringingChicagopolicemisconductandtorturetothepublic'sattentionandhashelpedwrongfullyconvictedmenandwomenwinmulti-milliondollarverdictsandsettlementsascompensationforthetimetheyspentinprison.Foradditionalinformation,visithttp://www.law.northwestern.edu/legalclinic/macarthur/