Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knox County will pay a Muslim woman more than $71,000 in a partial settlement agreement stemming from an October 2024 lawsuit filed against the county and sheriff Tom Spangler.

Layla Soliz filed the lawsuit following her arrest in May 2024 for criminal trespass, a misdemeanor, connected to her participation in a Palestinian vigil on the University of Tennessee campus.

Soliz’ lawsuit claimed that Knox County Sheriff’s Office employees violated her religious rights by publishing a mugshot of her without her hijab, a religious headscarf.

Soliz is still demanding that the county delete the uncovered photo of her and reform their booking policy.

“This is a meaningful step toward accountability for violating Mrs. Soliz’s religious rights under state and federal law,” said Soliz’ attorney Daniel Horwitz. “Because Knox County has refused to destroy Mrs. Soliz’s uncovered booking photograph or update its booking policy to conform with what Mrs. Soliz asserts that state and federal law require, however, those claims will continue.”