Jewish Chaplain In Dispute With AG Over Defense In Prisoner Suit

Ynetnews yesterday reported on an interesting dispute between a Jewish prison chaplain and Washington state's Attorney General. The Attorney General's office has refused to defend Jewish prison chaplain Gary Friedman on the terms Friedman demands in a recent lawsuit filed against him by a state prisoner. Friedman takes the position that a prisoner should not be entitled to receive kosher food if the prisoner is not Jewish under the standards of Jewish law (halacha). However, courts have generally not required a formal conversion before recognizing religious claims by a prisoner. Chaplain Friedman, who has been sued before, says that in the past when the state has provided him legal defense, they have been too willing to settle out of court and have ignored his claims that Jewish law should be factored into the defense arguments. The most recent suit is by James Shilling, a prisoner who requested, but did not receive, kosher food. Chaplain Friedman has refused to give the Attorney General's office authority to make litigation decisions for him that involve religious law or practices, and has instead hired outside lawyers to represent him in the lawsuit. Jewish Prisoner Service International is raising funds to cover Friedman's legal bills.