Prior to 1982, three Muslim inmates in the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, Indiana filed a lawsuit under 42 USC 1983 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana against prison officials claiming a violation of their First Amendment Right to freely exercise their religious ...
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Prior to 1982, three Muslim inmates in the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, Indiana filed a lawsuit under 42 USC 1983 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana against prison officials claiming a violation of their First Amendment Right to freely exercise their religious beliefs.
The parties entered into a consent decree on May 28, 1982 in which the defendants agreed to recognize the American Muslim Mission as a legitimate religious group and to afford it the same rights as other religious groups at the Indiana State Prison. More specifically, the consent decree afforded the plaintiffs with the right to possess a Koran and other religious books, to have a pork-free diet, to observe Ramadan, and to participate in weekly religious services and study classes.
On October 21, 1996, pursuant to the Prison Litigation Reform Act, the defendants moved to terminate the consent decree. The District Court (Judge Allen Sharp) granted the motion on December 13, 1996. James v. Lash, 949 F.Supp. 691 (N.D. Ind. 1996).
The plaintiffs moved to reconsider, asking the court to find the PLRA unconstitutional and vacate the order terminating the consent decree. On May 15, 1997, the District Court denied the motion. James v. Lash, 965 F.Supp. 1190 (N.D. Ind. 1997).
According to the PACER docket, which begins with the October 1996 termination motion, two status reports were entered before the case was closed on November 19, 1997.
Rebekah Henn Sullivan - 08/04/2006
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