Two prison inmates claim that members of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints get a break in front of the Utah Board of Pardons and
Parole. And under separate rulings by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals,
they might get their day in court.
The appeals court sent their cases back to trial judges to
determine if their failure to follow correct procedure in filing suits against
the parole board can be excused.
The suits, filed by inmates Bruce R. Longyear and Henry J.
Suarez, claim religious discrimination that favors Mormons.
The appeals court did not address the substance of their
suits, only the procedural elements of getting the cases to trial.
John Green, administrative coordinator for the board, said
the claim of discrimination is outrageous and the prisoners will never prove
it.
"There is no way that inmates are favored due to any
religion," he said Thursday. "It just isn't true."
He said inmates file suits over every aspect involving their
situations and prison life, creating claims where none exist.
Longyear and Suarez, who are serving time at the Purgatory
Correctional Facility in Hurricane for convictions in separate cases, are
representing themselves. They say parole board members consider membership in
the LDS Church in making decisions.
Suarez wrote in his suit that Mormons get earlier release
dates and Longyear said in his that information about an inmate's involvement
in a non-LDS program is disregarded.