Lawsuit Says Virginia Jail’s ‘God Pod’ Violates Constitution

RICHMOND, Va. — A regional jail in Virginia is being sued over allegedly setting up a Christians-only unit dubbed the “God Pod.”

A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday by a Muslim civil rights group says the Riverside Regional Jail has set aside a housing pod exclusively for Christian inmates.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations alleges that inmates housed there must promise to live in accordance with the Bible. The group says the Christian pod violates the Constitution by favoring one religion over others.

The lawsuit accuses jail officials of discriminating against Muslim inmates and others by preventing them from participating in programs that teach their faith and excluding them from the housing unit, nicknamed the “God Pod” by inmates.

Jail officials did not immediately respond to a call and emails seeking comment.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. (Photo: Pixabay/CC0 Creative Commons)

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