Should Muslim Prisoners Be Permitted to Sue Over Meals?

The Rising Problem of Inmate Lawsuits Across America

At what point should prison officials reach when catering to the dietary needs of prisoners? Most prisons across the country offer a variety of meals for different religious, medical, and personal belief-led needs. On average, special meals cost over double the price of a regular meal. In some prisons in some states, special meals can be as high as almost $4.00 a meal instead of almost $1.50 for a regular meal. So how far should the prisons be forced to go in order cater to all prisoners needs?

In a recent case, Kenneth E. Fletcher is a 20-year-old man serving a 14-year prison sentence at the Ross Correctional Institution. The reason he is behind bars is because he was convicted of 14 felonies in both Licking and Muskingum counties in Ohio. Fletcher's list of convictions include: theft, aggravated robbery, aggravated vehicular assault, and firearms violations.

Fletcher is not only a convict but he is also a Muslim. Why is his religious preference of importance? Because Fletcher has file a federal lawsuit against Sheriff Robert Stephenson and nine of his employees, to the sum of a 2 million dollar payout for damages. The reason behind his lawsuit deals directly with his religious beliefs and the treatment he states he has received from the aforementioned Ross Correctional Institute employees.

Mr. Fletcher states that he was "subjected to cruel and unusual punishment" when he was given meals at the jail that contained pork. Fletcher decided to complain about the pork meals since he stated that the Quran forbids Muslims to eat the meat of pigs. Allegedly he was placed in solitary confinement as the outcome of his complaints about the meals he had been issued. The incident in question took place in 2006 when Fletcher had been returned to the prison after his sentencing.