A group of practicing Muslim prisoners at the Monroe Correctional Complex filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington on June 10, 2018, alleging that prison staff deprived them of nighttime meals while they were fasting during Ramadan. Represented by the Center for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), they brought this action against the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) and sought declaratory and emergency injunctive relief. According to the plaintiffs, despite their requests, the prison chaplain refused to add them to a list of prisoners to be served specially-timed meals during the month of Ramadan (“the Ramadan List”), in effect subjecting them to a “starvation policy” because the normal schedule for meals at the prison all fell within the time of day when they are fasting. They alleged that this violated the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause, the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment, and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).

Along with their complaint, the plaintiffs also filed a motion temporary restraining order that would force the prison to provide them with legally adequate meals through the end of Ramadan; that motion was granted by District Judge Ronald B. Leighton the same day–June 10, 2018.

In its answer filed on July 5, 2018, the DOC denied virtually all of the pertinent allegations in the complaint. It disputed the plaintiffs’ contention that it refused to add them to the Ramadan List, maintaining that the prisoners had not signed up during the established sign-up period. It denied the existence of a “starvation policy” towards Muslims at the prison. Finally, it made a number of different affirmative defenses, including qualified immunity for state government officials.

As of August 1, 2018, the case has been assigned to District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez and is still ongoing.

Alexander Walling - 08/01/2018


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