ACLU accuses Kentucky prison of illegal anti-gay mail ban
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky is challenging the censorship of books, magazines, letters and pictures sent to inmates at one state prison because the warden believes they “promote homosexuality.”
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that William Sharp, the state ACLU’s legal director, wrote to Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex warden Kathy Litteral last week, accusing her staff of illegally rejecting mail such as LGBT news magazines not marked sexually explicit.
The ACLU says it found the policy written in an internal memo it obtained through the Open Records Act.
Sharp says safety concerns aren’t valid arguments for withholding items that mention homosexuality.
The state’s newly appointed corrections commissioner, Rodney Ballard, says he will investigate the matter.
The facility is a medium-security prison for 1,706 men in West Liberty.
