In Peterson v. Lampert, (10th Cir., Oct. 15, 2012), the 10th Circuit dismissed an inmate's due process, free exercise and RLUIPA complaints growing out of the loss of religious personal property, including a crystal wand, tarot cards, feathers, incense, a prayer cloth, and a satanic Bible, after a transfer from one facility to another.
In White v. Lindermen, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150107 (D AZ, Oct. 18, 2012), an Arizona federal district court denied a Messianic Jewish inmate a preliminary injunction he sought to allow his family members to purchase religious items, including incense, scented oils, candles, a kippah, a talit, and herbs, for him from a vendor.
In McDaniel v. Fizer, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 147900 (D AZ, Oct. 15, 2012), an Arizona federal district court dismissed, with leave to amend, a Muslim inmate's complaint that his lacto-vegetarian diet was replaced by a vegan diet, and that he was being denied a kosher diet.
In Coulter v. Studeny, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 147230 (WD PA, Oct. 12, 2012), a Pennsylvania federal district court largely adopted a magistrate' recommendations (2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150473, Sept. 21, 2012) and, among other things, rejected plaintiff's claim that her free exercise rights were violated by a special condition of her probation. She claimed that a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew prevented her from attending unspecified religious services.
In Rice v. Curry, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 134284 (ND CA, Sept. 18, 2012), a California federal district court dismissed without prejudice for failure to exhaust administrative remedies a claim by an inmate who was a member of the Muslim Ansar El Mohammad faith that AEM Muslims were not provided a Suhoor meal during Ramadan. The court dismissed on the merits plaintiff's complaint that AEM Muslims were not granted separate access to the interfaith chapel and that the prison refused to hire an AEM imam.
In Palermo v. Libby, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 148577 (D NH, Sept. 12, 2012), a New Hampshire federal magistrate judge recommended that an inmate be permitted to proceed with his free exercise and RLUIPA claims that he was denied a religious diet, religious reading materials, and ritual items, and an equal protection claim that he was denied religious reading materials and ritual items.
