In Green v. Caruso, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30520 (WD MI, March 24, 2011), a Michigan federal district court rejected a Muslim prisoner's claims that his rights were violated by prison authorities allowing his food to be contaminated with pork and their refusal to call him by his Muslim name.
In Keyes v. Krick, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30665 (D CO, March 23, 2011), a Colorado federal district court held that while an inmate stated a free exercise claim through his allegations that he was not permitted to discuss his religious beliefs as part of his drug abuse program, the court dismissed the claim on qualified immunity grounds.
In Miller v. Fischer, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30605 (ND NY, March 24, 2011), a New York federal district court accepted a magistrate's recommendations (2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 130773, Sept. 22, 2009), and dismissed plaintiff's claim that his rights were violated when prison authorities refused to allow him to possess incense and an incense burner he needed to practice his Pagan/ Wiccan religion.
In Johnson v. Smith, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31511 (ND GA, March 25, 2011), a Georgia federal district court dismissed an inmate's complaint that jail officials took his Bible from him while he was in disciplinary isolation.
In Mincy v. DeParlos, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31168 (MD PA, March 24, 2011), a Pennsylvania federal district court rejected a Muslim inmate's claims that prison authorities failed to accommodate his Ramadan fast, denied him access to Jum'ah services on one occasion due to the sign-up policy, had an unequal policy on distribution of religious materials and denied Muslim inmates the right to distribute Zakat from their inmate accounts.
In Martinez v. Brown, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31247 (SD CA, March 24, 2011), a California federal district court refused to certify, for purposes of a class action asserting free exercise claims, two subclasses-- Native American prisoners in the general prison population and Native American prisoners confined to security, administrative, protective and psychiatric housing units.
In Jackson v. Thomas, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31896 (CD CA, March 25, 2011), a California federal district court adopted a magistrate's recommendations (2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31894, March 1, 2011), and permitted plaintiff, who was housed at a state hospital as a sexually violent predator, to move ahead with his challenge to the hospital's refusal to permit him to attend church services when he had his access level reduced for 29 days.
In Riley v. Beard, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 32640 (WD PA, March 29, 2011), a Pennsylvania federal district court dismissed a Muslim inmate's 1st Amendment challenge, but permitted him to proceed with his RLUIPA claim that his free exercise of religion was substantially burdened when prison authorities insisted that he pay to obtain dates with which to break the Ramadan fast and to share in the Eid al-Fitr feast. Plaintiff alleged he was indigent and that his administrative segregation prevented him from obtaining prison employment.
In Williams v. Sibbett, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 32385 (D UT, March 25, 2011), a Utah federal district court dismissed a series of claims by an inmate charging the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole with considering religion in making parole decisions and in favoring members of the Mormon church.
In Silvagnoli v. Sister Marylou, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 32989 (WD NY, March 29, 2011), a New York federal district court adopted a magistrate's recommendations (2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 32983, March 4, 2011) and dismissed a Santeria prisoner's complaint that the coordinating chaplain inspected his Santeria shrine, and that he was denied access to the stove in the kitchen early in the morning to use to make coffee as a daily offering to the saints and his ancestors.
