Convicted killer: Civil rights violated when dreadlocks cut

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A convicted killer in an Ohio prison claims in a federal lawsuit that his civil rights have been violated by the repeated cutting of his dreadlocks.

The lawsuit filed on behalf of inmate Cecil Koger says his faith of Rastafarianism (rah-stah-FARE-ee-ah-nizm) requires him to wear his hair in dreadlocks.

The lawsuit filed last week says the prison has forcibly cut his hair five times, impeding his ability to practice his religion.

The lawsuit says Ohio's prison system has allowed dreadlocks for other inmates and seeks to force the prison system to recognize Rastafarianism as a religion. The Ohio prisons system declined comment.

The 35-year-old Koger is serving a 33-year sentence for aggravated murder and aggravated robbery

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