Wyo. Lawsuit Alleges Prison Mealtime Violates Muslim Inmates' Freedom of Religion

FOX ^

[Sub-Driver]

Wyo. Lawsuit Alleges Prison Mealtime Violates Muslim Inmates' Freedom of Religion

Thursday , April 03, 2008

AP

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Thursday claiming that a Wyoming State Penitentiary policy restricting prisoners' mealtimes violates the constitutional rights of two Muslim inmates.

The ACLU filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court on behalf of Joseph Miller and Hurie Purdiman Jr., two inmates serving time at the penitentiary in Rawlins.

At issue is an alleged "20-minute rule" requiring inmates to eat their meals within 20 minutes after the food is delivered to a cell or common dining area, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit seeks for the inmates to be exempted from the rule because it forces them to choose between eating and practicing their religion.

Miller and Purdiman claim that meals have arrived at the same time of day that they're practicing prayers according to their Muslim faith. On other occasions, meals arrived during a period of religious fasting and then were confiscated before the fast ended at sunset.

"If someone has started their prayer, unless they're willing to interrupt their prayer and leave at that moment, they forgo their meal because (the guards) won't go back and open their cell doors," said Jennifer Horvath, staff attorney for Wyoming Chapter of the ACLU. "It's not unreasonable to ask for some extra time to finish their meals. They have a right to practice their religion, and the prison has been treating it as a privilege."

[Sub-Driver]

Mooslims in Wyoming????

Regardless - tough beans (pun....)

[Nailbiter]

If you do not do the crime, you will not have this problem.

[WVKayaker]

Wannabe Mooselimbs, I think.

They are probably OTW...(other than white), and are likely to have been incarcerated for violent crimes. But, they gotta pray, ya know!

Let them eat cake...

Cake! It’s what we let them eat. Cake! Gimme some of that Gimme some of that Home grown, way down home, yeah! Uh ha, uh ha, ho, yeah Gimme some of that, whew! Cake…

I love cake! I had a pig named cake! I love pork, too.

Mr. Mastodon Farm, Mr. Mastodon Farm, Cuts swatches out of all material. Mr. Mastodon Farm, Mr. Mastodon Farm, Cuts swatches out of all material.

Someone had to do the cakes right, and it was going to be us.

He began a pursuit of all things pound cake, adding floured blueberries to the batter, mixing in flavored yogurt, trying different kinds of nuts. His wife and daughter were impressed. So were his hunting buddies.

[econjack]

What kind of brain cells do you have to have to be a member of the ACLU. As far as dinner goes...no problem. Just don’t serve dinner to them. Better yet, make it a pulled pork sandwich with a side-o-bacon.

[NY.SS-Bar9]

When you become an incarcerated, convicted felon you forfeit many rights. Get used to it.

[STONEWALLS]

I hope this is a jury trial....if it’s just in front of a judge, then I’m worried....those ACLU b*stards are slick...they wait to find a leftist/activist judge appointed by Carter or Clinton and file.....that’s how they win....then they sock the loser with “legal fees” and pocket the cash.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I wonder if the responses here would be the same if the lawyers were ACLJ, and the prisoners were Catholics who were being fed at the wrong times or the wrong types of food during lent.

Or if the lawyers were from the ADL, and the prisoners were jewish people being forced to eat non-kosher foods.

In other words, do we truly believe that the First amendment’s words about freedom of religion should not even be considered once someone has committed a crime? Do we think that we should not care to give ANY accomodation whatsoever to people’s religion once they are in jail?

[SumProVita]

People who would pursue a case like this become more irrational with each passing day. The whole idea of being imprisoned for committing a crime is that one loses certain rights/freedoms. THAT is the notion of punishment (suffering the consequence of one’s actions).

[MBB1984]

This is what we can expect when we close down Gitmo and give terrorists ACLU trials right here in the US.

[Chode]

if the goathumpers want sharia... then cut their right hand off and send their azz home.

[mathurine]

Islam forfeited its status as a religion long ago. It is a gangster cult aimed at destroying western civilization. I don’t care if those two prisoners sh*t or go blind. It’s not a religious matter as far as I am concerned.

[MrB]

>>What kind of brain cells do you have to have to be a member of the ACLU.<<

Seems to me, you just have to hate traditional America.

[MrB]

Well, if you want to equate the validity of Islam with Catholicism or Judaism,

that’s your problem.

[Mister Da]

Let’s see! A convicted criminal loses most of his civil rights when he is convicted - including much of his religious freedom. While in prison, he may not attend the church of his choice, he may not go on a pilgrimage, etc.

So, why would he have a right to accommodation of his prayer times? To my knowledge, the Bill of Rights does not favor religious rights over all others, so if some rights make be taken away, that may include religious rights.

Next will come the “need” for a religious day of rest - Friday for muslims, Saturday for Jews, Sunday for Christians, & who knows what other religions will want a different day off. The effect would be segregation by religion.

Ridiculous!

[Tao Yin]

How many brain cells does it take to understand that you loose freedom in prison?

[JCG]

In other words, do we truly believe that the First amendment’s words about freedom of religion should not even be considered once someone has committed a crime? Do we think that we should not care to give ANY accomodation whatsoever to people’s religion once they are in jail?

If Santerians don't get to sacrifice a chicken or two now and then, why should Catholics, Jews or Islamonazis get special diets or prayer times?

I'm sure the dead chicken means just as much to them as anything the other religions require of their adherents.




----

Send treats to the troops...
Great because you did it!
www.AnySoldier.com

[no dems]

What are “peace loving”, kind, God-fearing Muslims doing in prison?

[SoFloFreeper]

Oh well. I guess they had better not break the law and get thrown in prison, then.

[ApplegateRanch]

I suggest you learn a bit more about the Muslim prayer times & rituals. This is entirely a red herring issue aimed at the ignorant.

They are CHOOSING to coincide their prayer time with meal times, which are fixed by the clock. Meal ablutions, if they practice those can be done in anticipation of serving.

The actual times of an particular prayer have a large leeway; and 4 out of the 5 daily (and the odd 1 out can in no way be anywhere near their meal times) can be ‘made up’ before performing the next.

There is also considerable latitude in who is & isn’t obligated by circumstance regarding the daily fast for Ramadan, which has them abstain from food sun rise to sun set, then pig out all night long.

This is not like they are being forced to eat non-halal; it is just a ‘let’s jerk arpound the ignorant Infidel’ shake down.

As for the ACLU, prisoners, Liberals, and Ted Turner’s recent ‘too many people in the world’ comment, I would agree, and start with eliminating Ted, the ACLU, and all violent criminals.

[WOBBLY BOB]

and if you’re so religously observant, why would you be in prison?