CAIR files lawsuit against Warren County Regional Jail for alleged incident involving Muslim woman

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Council on American-Islamic Relations announced Wednesday the filing of a lawsuit in partnership with Roula Allouch of Bricker Graydon against Warren County Regional Jail “for depriving a Muslim woman of her religious rights by forcing her to remove her hijab, taking a booking photograph without it and allowing the photo to remain publicly available on its website.”

This is according to a release on CAIR’s website, posted Wednesday morning.

Jane Doe allegedly had to remove her hijab during jail intake.

The release further states the woman “was subjected to an unnecessary full-body strip search that was filmed and projected on a TV screen for all those present in the jail lobby to see.”

According to the release, CAIR’s lawsuit states in part:

“All incarcerees and their religious beliefs are entitled to basic respect and certainly privacy, particularly Muslim women whose modesty is not just a personal conviction but a religious obligation.”

CAIR’s release states the lawsuit “aims to have Warren County Regional Jail implement a policy change prohibiting it and its officers from taking booking photographs of Muslim women without their hijab and to order defendants to destroy the publicly available image of Mrs. Doe from their database and any security footage that captured her without her hijab during her time at their facility.”

Furthermore, it aims “to enjoin Warren County Regional Jail and its officers from engaging in public, unnecessary strip searches of any individual.”

“Every moment that photo remains on Warren County Regional Jail’s website perpetuates the harm and anguish suffered by Mrs. Doe. It is a permanent record and consistent reminder of the violations to Mrs. Doe’s privacy and religious beliefs,” says CAIR legal fellow Aya Beydoun in the release. “To make matters worse, we believe the jail still has the recording of her strip search in their records.”

Warren County jailer Stephen Harmon released the following statement, as well as Warren County judge-executive Doug Gorman, Thursday regarding the lawsuit:

“Warren County and its named employees are aware that a lawsuit was recently filed on behalf of Jane Doe. Warren County admits there was an incident involving Jane Doe during intake at the Warren County Regional Jail; however, Warren County states that the complaint contains exaggerations and inaccuracies as to the events that took place. Warren County and its employees deny violating Jane Doe’s constitutional rights and state that they acted to safeguard employees and other persons at the jail in a non-discriminatory manner. Warren County and its employees will vigorously defend their actions taken on this matter.”

We reached out to the Bowling Green Police Department, who says they are not able to comment during a pending lawsuit.

News 40 searched the Warren County Regional Jail’s website entries for all inmates on April 6, and no mugshots are listed for that date as of 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30.

We have also reached out to CAIR and the attorneys representing Jane Doe and are awaiting further information.