Vegetarian prisoner can proceed with lawsuit
By The Associated Press
03.11.01
Printer-friendly page
MADISON, Wis. — A federal judge has ruled that a state prisoner can proceed with a lawsuit claiming prison officials violated his religious rights by not giving him nutritious vegetarian meals.
Robert Collins-Bey, 38, is imprisoned at the Supermax Correctional Institution in Boscobel and practices a Muslim religion called Moorish Scientist Temple of America.
U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled that Collins-Bey has a legitimate claim that food service managers at Supermax violated his First Amendment right when they initially refused to feed him vegetarian meals.
Collins-Bey said he told staff members when he arrived in February 2000 that he couldn't eat red meat or drink milk for religious reasons.
Collins-Bey has alleged that prison officials finally complied after he refused to eat. According to the lawsuit, they then fed him meals with a main dish that usually included potatoes and two slices of cheese or a teaspoon of peanut butter.
Prison officials told Collins-Bey that the prison didn't provide protein substitutes for vegetarians and suggested he "return to a regular tray in order to be assured adequate nutrition in all of the food groups," according to court documents.
Collins-Bey said that by December he had lost 34 pounds and was told by a prison doctor that his health was in danger.
Collins-Bey said that the doctor ordered him to eat high protein meals without meat, but he was then served meals with double portions of meat.
He is in prison for a first-degree murder conviction.
Related
Federal judge gives go-ahead to prisoner's First Amendment lawsuit
Wisconsin inmate says prison officials violated his rights by placing him in solitary confinement for writing letter they claimed was gang-related.
06.28.01
Arkansas prison told to give inmate kosher food
8th Circuit says state officials should continue to provide kosher meals, food stipend for Kelvin Ray Love until permanent solution can be worked out.
07.09.02
