Muslim Prisoner's Free Exercise Challenges Rejected

In McRoy v. Cook County Department of Corrections, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7082(Subscription Required), decided April 19, the US Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois rejected a Muslim prisoner’s claims that his Free Exercise rights were being unconstitutionally infringed. James McRoy challenged cancellations and limitations on Muslim services, strip-searches of inmates attending Muslim services, required pre-approval of religious publications and the absence of a Muslim-only living unit. The court found that prison officials’ conduct met the test set out in the 1987 US Supreme Court case of Turner v. Safley.