Free Exercise of Religion and Public Accommodations

Issue: Free Exercise of Religion and Public Accommodations

Donaldson v. Farrakhan, et als., Middlesex Superior Court, No. 95-1061

Counsel: Denzil D. McKenzie, Wilbur P. Edwards, Jr.

We represented the Nation of Islam, a local Mosque and several individuals in an action where the Plaintiff claimed that she was barred from entering an event because of her gender, and that this violated several laws, including the Massachusetts “public accommodations” statute, G.L. c. 272, §§ 92A and 98. At the trial, the judge granted a directed verdict for the Defendants. On the Plaintiff’s appeal, we successfully represented the Defendants before the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts and the judgment was unanimously affirmed. 364 Mass. 94, 762 N.E. 2d 835 (2002).