Prisoner's Claim On Forced Cutting of Beard Continues

In two recently issued opinions, an Ohio federal district court denied a preliminary injunction, but permitted a claim for other relief to proceed, in the case of a prison inmate who claims that his free exercise of religion rights were violated when he was forced, in violation of his beliefs as a convert to Judaism, to cut his beard to comply with prison grooming policies. He had previously grown his beard for almost four years without disciplinary action. The cases are Smith v. Wilkinson, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15564 (SD Ohio, July 27, 2005), and Smith v. Wilkinson, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15567 (SD Ohio, July 29, 2005).