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| Judge Rules VA Banned Reading Unconstitutional |
| By wtvr.com |
| Published: 09/03/2010 |
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RICHMOND, Va. - A federal judge has declared unconstitutional a Virginia prison policy that denies inmates access to classic literature with sexually explicit passages but allows them to peruse Playboy magazine. U.S. District Judge James C. Turk in Roanoke ruled Wednesday that there is no rational connection between the restrictions and the state's legitimate interests in rehabilitating inmates and maintaining safety and order in the prisons. The ruling was a victory for Augusta Correctional Center inmate William R. Couch, who represented himself in a lawsuit challenging Virginia Department of Corrections Operating Policy 803.2 after he was denied access to the novels "Ulysses" by James Joyce and "Lady Chatterly's Lover" by D.H. Lawrence. "The irrationality of O.P. 803.2 stems from the fact that it encompasses much of the world's finest literature, but does not extend to 'soft core' pornography such as Playboy magazine," Turk wrote in the opinion, which was first reported by The Roanoke Times. Read More. |
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