Georgia: Headscarf Leads To Jail

A Georgia woman was cited for contempt of court and jailed after she refused to remove her headscarf before entering the courthouse.

Lisa Valentine, also known by her Islamic name, Miedah, 40, was arrested at the Douglasville Municipal Court for violating a court policy of no headgear, said Chris Womack, deputy chief of operations for the Douglasville Police Department.

Lisa Valentine, also known by her Islamic name, Miedah, 40, was arrested at the Douglasville Municipal Court for violating a court policy of no headgear. She was taken before Judge Keith Rollins, who ordered her held in jail for 10 days. However, her husband said she was released Tuesday evening. The reason for her release wasn’t immediately clear.

Last week, the same judge apparently threw out another Muslim woman from his courtroom. Sabreen Abdul Rahman, 55, said she had gone to court with her son when she was asked to take off her scarf. “I can’t. I’m Muslim,” she mouthed silently to the bailiff, who then removed her from the courtroom, Rahman said. “This is a religious right,” she said. “This is unconstitutional. And humiliating.” Many Muslim women cover their heads to comply with modesty mandated by Islam. This practice has come up against policies aimed at maintaining decorum in public places across the country.

Valentine was handcuffed and taken to the judge's chamber after she cursed a bailiff at the security checkpoint of the courthouse. There's a "no headgear" rule in place at the courthouse, but I can't imagine they'd ask a Catholic nun to remove her wimple.