A federal judge has declared unconstitutional the Virginia prison system’s policy to deny inmates’ access to certain literature.
U.S. District Judge James Turk ruled in favor of inmate William Couch, of Alexandria, who was banned from reading classic works “Ulysses” and “Lady Chatterly’s Lover.” Couch is serving life in prison for a series of rapes and other offenses. Prison officials said the books were sexually explicit material, but Virginia officials permitted inmates the perusal of Playboy magazine.
Turk wrote that there is no logical connection between the ban and the state’s interest in inmate rehabilitation and maintaining order.
— Scott McCabe
