Lincoln, Neb. - Nebraska's American Indian inmates can have powwows, meet with medicine men and use a tobacco substitute during religious ceremonies under a federal court settlement approved Monday.
The settlement, reached between the inmates and prison state officials last year, was approved by U.S. District Judge Warren Urbom.
The settlement grew from a complaint filed on behalf of some 200 American Indian inmates by Richard T. Walker, an Indian sentenced to life in prison in 1966 for murder.
Walker complained among other things that a medicine man stopped coming to the prison because officials made so many demands that he prove his qualifications.
Under the agreement, American Indian inmates can have two powwows a year and use traditional foods such as fry bread, corn and "berry dish" in their ceremonies.
The inmates agreed not to use tobacco — which is banned in prison — but will use chinshasha, which is made from the bark of red willow trees, as a substitute.
The settlement will replace a 1974 consent decree requiring prison officials to allow American Indian inmates to conduct religious ceremonies. A group of inmates accused the state of violating the decree.