In Sefeldeen v. Alamedia, (9th Cir., June 4, 2007), the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals held that a Muslim prisoner failed to show that his rights under either RLUIPA or the First Amendment were violated when prison authorities offered him the vegetarian meal plan instead of meals containing Halal meat.
Mobley v. Smith, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40229 (WD MI, June 4, 2007), involved a complaint by a prisoner over the delay he experienced in receiving kosher meals after he converted to Judaism. A Michigan federal district court permitted plaintiff to continue with his free exercise claim, though it said it might dismiss it after further facts are developed. It rejected his claim that he suffered unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment from food deprivation because he ate only fruits and vegetables in order to observe his kosher diet.
In Jeansonne v. Richland Parish Detention Center, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40183 (WD LA, April 11, 2007), a Louisiana federal magistrate judge rejected a prisoner's free exercise claim. The prisoner had complained that officials only permitted him to practice his Wiccan religion in his residence dormitory, and not outside it, out of concern about reaction from Christian prisoners.
In Petersen v. Price, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40499 (ND WV, June 1, 2007), a federal prisoner complained about his removal from the Bureau of Prisons kosher meal plan. A West Virginia federal Magistrate Judge recommended dismissal of claims against certain of the defendants, finding they were not sufficiently involved. He also recommended dismissal of plaintiff's RLUIPA claims, find that RLUIPA applies only to state and local governments. He found further that officials were justified in removing plaintiff from the meal plan after plaintiff purchased non-kosher food at the prison commissary. Finally he rejected plaintiff's complaint regarding non-kosher lunch bags during lock downs, and rejected plaintiff's retaliation and equal protection claims.
In Smith v. Frank, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 41243 (ED WI, June 5, 2007), a Wisconsin federal district court permitted a prisoner to proceed with his First Amendment, RLUIPA and state law claims growing out of a prison official's taking a federally protected Eagle feather from plaintiff, who is an enrolled member of a federally recognized Indian tribe.
In Thaxton v. Strode, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 41247 (WD KY, June 3, 2007), a Kentucky federal district court permitted a Jewish prisoner who was not permitted to attend Muslim worship services to proceed with a First Amendment claim. Plaintiff claims that he goes to all religious services to study God's word and to pray. Jail authorities had denied his request based on "past history of violence/hatred between [the] Muslim [and] Jewish Religion".
