4 women sue state for not allowing them to marry inmates

Four women are suing state Public Safety Director Jodie Maesaka-Hirata and two other state Public Safety officials for repeatedly denying their applications to marry their fiances, who are state prison inmates.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court today by the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, claims denying the women the right to marry their fiancees violates their constitutional rights.

The plaintiffs are Lenora Santos, Junell Faith Aliviado, Jamiquia Glass and Margaret Amina.

In addition to Maesaka-Hirata, the lawsuit names as defendants Public Safety Mainland Branch Coordinator Shari Kimoto and Public Safety Contract Monitor Jeanette Baltero.