6th Circuit Rejects Claim By Prison Chaplain

In Akridge v. Wilkinson, (6th Cir., April 26, 2006), the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected a claim by a Baptist minister employed as a chaplain in the Ohio prison system. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) officials fined Chaplain William Akridge two days' pay after he refused to comply with their directive to allow an openly gay inmate to lead a choir or praise band that was scheduled to participate in Protestant services at the Madison Correctional Institution. Akridge had argued that his refusal to place the inmate a position of leadership in the worship service was speech protected by the First Amendment. However the court found that the state's interest in preventing discrimination, in protecting inmates' free exercise rights and in enforcing discipline among prison employees all justified ODRC's action. Yesterday's Gay City News reported on the decision.