Muslim Death Row Inmate Sues Over Lack of Halal Meals in Prison
- Posted on October 4, 2011 at 11:45pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (The Blaze/AP) — A Muslim death row inmate says the Ohio prison system is denying him meals prepared according to Islamic law while at the same time providing kosher meals to Jewish prisoners, according to a federal lawsuit that alleges a civil rights violation.
The state said Monday that it has already removed pork from its menus in response to the lawsuit brought by condemned inmate Abdul Awkal, who argues the prison system’s failure to provide halal meals is a restraint on his religious freedoms.
Awkal, joined by a second inmate not on death row, says the vegetarian and non-pork options offered by the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction aren’t good enough. The inmates say food must be prepared in specific fashion, such as ensuring that an animal is butchered by slitting its throat and draining its blood, to conform to Islamic beliefs.
“The issue of eating Halal meals is especially important to me because I face a death sentence,” Awkal said in a filing in federal court earlier this year. “It is important to me that I follow the requirements of my faith as I approach death.”
The state’s recent decision to drop pork from all meals accommodates religious preferences without jeopardizing security, said Carlo LoParo, spokesman for the state corrections department. It “eliminates any doubt that Muslims or any inmate who has a specific prohibition against pork products receives pork inadvertently or otherwise,” he said.
“It‘s a concession that we can make that doesn’t compromise other aspects of our operation,” he said.
But Monday‘s announcement doesn’t solve that meat isn’t slaughtered in the appropriate way for Muslim inmates who adhere to religious tradition, said David Singleton, executive director of the Ohio Justice and Policy Center, which brought the lawsuit on Awkal’s behalf. He said the lawsuit will continue.
A judge has given lawyers and inmates for the state until next month to finish filing documents bolstering their arguments, ahead of an expected January trial.
Awkal, 52, is scheduled to die in June for killing his estranged wife, Latife Awkal, and brother-in-law Mahmoud Abdul-Aziz in 1992, in a room in Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court.
Joining Awkal in the lawsuit is Cornelius Causey, 35, serving 15 years to life for murder and aggravated robbery convictions out of Hamilton County.
Ohio argues that it provides both non-pork and vegetarian meals to Muslims and says the courts have sided with this practice. The state also says that providing halal meals could hurt Ohio financially, given the current budget situation.
“The complete restructuring of ODRC’s food service administration and preparation, at a cost of millions to the State of Ohio during fiscal crisis, is at stake,” Ryan Dolan, an assistant attorney general, argued in a court filing.
Ohio included in its response to the lawsuit a document from a Muslim who does regular spiritual counseling of Muslim inmates.
While Imam Sunni-Ali Islam said he thought it was problematic that Ohio provided kosher but not halal meals, he said he doesn’t think it rises to the level of religious discrimination.
The state’s prison guidelines for Jewish prisoners say, “The Department will accommodate kosher dietary restrictions to recognized Jewish inmates.” Kosher guidelines also address proper ways to slaughter animals and prepare meat.
For Muslim inmates, prison rules say, “The diet will be free of all pork and products containing or derived from pork. The institution will provide nutritionally adequate meat and non-meat alternatives.”
Ohio spends about $3.50 to $7 on kosher meals compared to $1.70 for regular meals, LoParo said. He would not comment on the lawsuit itself beyond documents filed in support of the state position.
California provides packaged kosher meals to Jewish inmates and halal meals prepared at prisons for Muslim prisoners. Meats used for the halal meals are cooked separately from other prison food, said spokesman Paul Herke.
The state serves about 4,100 halal meals a day at a cost of about $3.50 per day, compared with about $2.90 a day for regular prison meals.
“We would consider that a pretty nominal difference,” Herke said.
Arizona provides vegetarian and other options to satisfy the halal requirement but does not provide meals specifically dubbed halal.
Similarly, Muslim inmates in Texas can select regular, meat-free or pork-free meals but are not served halal meals. Massachusetts serves both kosher and halal meals.
Ohio says requiring halal meals could mean new dietary plans for as many as 2,000 inmates, while Awkal’s lawyers believe the figure is lower because not all Muslims eat halal meals.
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Comments (259)
A MERICAN
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:19amAs for his virgins – nobody said that they were female virgins, nobody said that they were not goats and nobody said that they were human!!! So, give him 72 dead male goats. haaaa WINNING!
Report Post »PATTY HENRY
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:42amQUOTE: A MUSLIM DEATH ROW inmate… DUDE, I think they ought to make you eat pig’s feet at every meal. What pansy’s we are for trying to accommodate these murdering pigs. The fact that they even open their mouths tells me we have a long way to go to get this boat rightside up. YOUR MURDER? YOU LOSE ALL YOUR RIGHTS, PERIOD.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 2:03amLet him eat cake. Shut up and eat your SPAM.
Report Post »bkfirvine
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 2:05amThat‘s a very uncompassionate attitude that you have toward this Muslim who’s on Death Row. We should in fact hope that he gets 72 LIVING male goats upon his arrival to Allah!
Report Post »reform
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 5:57amPork everyday day until he meets them famous girls!!!!!
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 6:25amDeath by lethal pork injections would be fine with me.
Report Post »PubliusPencilman
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 6:30amWould you folks insist on pork for the Jews as well?
Report Post »Obama_Sham
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 6:58amIsn’t that cute… Little Publiuspencilwhore chiming in with “thought provoking” comments… LOL…
It’s alright Publius… We know it must be hard for you considering your dad is also your uncle…
Report Post »old white guy
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 7:01amgive him his last halal meal and execute him.
Report Post »Sheepdog911
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 7:15amHe’s on Death Row. In other words, he denied someone their ultimate civil right – life. Let him eat pork and beans. Taxpayers should sue the corrections systems over special privileges. It’s PRISON, not a resort. It should be a deep, dark hole and slop for food, not TV internet and vegitarian specialty meals. Send this POS waste of oxygen to Sheriff Joe in AZ..
Report Post »txbigfoot
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 7:16ammove up his date with death
Report Post »then the issue is moot.
Ex-Democrat
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 7:16am@PUBLIUSPENCILMAN – The difference is that we like the jews.
Report Post »mikem1969
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 7:27amDid he think about the civil rights of the person he murdered? No. He should be fed nothing but pork to eat and pigs blood to drink. Sorry piece of crap dog faced islamic moron.
Report Post »PubliusPencilman
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 7:57amOh no! Did I threaten the ideological bubble! I’m sure all of you jsut expected your islamaphobia to be safe and protected here among the Beckbots.
Report Post »jkjk
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 7:57amDeny away, then die !
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 8:10ammaybe his virgins are 72 male pigs.
Report Post »Buck Shane
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 8:12amSimple. Move up his exicution. Then, no problem for him or us.
Report Post »PS I liked the goat thing. LOL.
CatB
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 8:22amDeath row? .. I have the solution … move up his execution date .. to NOW! Send him off to Allah!
Report Post »poorrichard09
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 8:27amWhat about the civil rights of the person(s) you murdered you pig?
Report Post »DanWesson455
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 8:29amThrow some water on the floor then throw in a plugged in toaster. No more lawsuit. DIP WAD
Report Post »The10thAmendment
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 8:38amLets see if his prophet can save him. If he wants to eat, it’s pork or take one for the boss.
Report Post »connect the dots
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 8:47am“:) winning
Report Post »A MERICAN
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:16amAnd what may I ask are MY chances of getting a bacon sandwich if I am in one of their prisons???
loriann12
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 5:17amFirst, I have to admit, I didn‘t get past the part where they’ve dropped all pork to accomodate Islamics. Don’t commit the crime! Stay out of the prison system! My understanding is it’s not the food, but how it’s prepared. It would be too expensive to get a whole special cooking area, so your food isn‘t even around any infidel’s food. You’re on death row, get over it. I’d bet even for health reasons, if any celiac went to jail, they’d eat salads all the time, because they wouldn’t accomodate a gluten free diet. You don‘t want to be at someone else’s mercy (cooking), don’t do the crime, stay home and let your slave wives cook it for you. I think all those rules were just to tell the women how to cook, to demean them more.
Report Post »chazman
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 6:12am… how many more appeals does this muslim moron have? The process needs to be sped up. Hell is waiting for this filthy camel kicker …
Report Post »PubliusPencilman
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 9:51amLoriann,
So Jews should not get kosher meals in prisons?
A Merican,
If your point really that we don’t have to be any better than oppressive middle eastern theocracies? That’s funny–I kind of thought that we should hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Report Post »Bluebonnet
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 10:19amWhat the H3LL? We’ve coddled these people too much. The man isn’t staying at a 1st class resort.
Report Post »He’s in jail and takes what he gets. If they make his meals vegetarian, that is good enough. If I worked in the prison kitchen, I cook all his stuff with pork drippings and he’s like it, cause it‘s good cookin’.
They treat the guys in GetMo like they are in a resort and they need to stop it and feed reasonable food that isn’t against their religion, period!
teamarcheson
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 11:31amThis criminal should be killed by starvation. Terri Schiavo the brain damaged women in Florida was killed by starvation and thirst. While she was being killed in the nursing home, Democrats and Judges told us that “Death by Starvation” was humane and euphoric. We were told that a starvation death is very pleasant. This monster should be fed Bread and Water. What kind of meals to our POWs receive in foreign camps? Ask one!
Report Post »pavepaws
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 11:38amMove him to the head of the line.
Report Post »IntegrityFirst08
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 3:15pmUS prisons are a PC NIGHTMARE. Scared Administrators leading to wasted tax payer money.
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 6:31pmHow about a Halal lethal injection? I wouldn’t deny him that.
Report Post »Morris
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 7:05pmGive this Barbaric Islamic Muslim Bastard some lead,That will shut this Bastard UP!!!!!!!
Report Post »motonutt
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 7:30pmI’d give him his halal meal….laced with rat poisen. And mabey some green lemonade made from antifreeze.
Report Post »Van Bones
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:23amDirty filthy sub-human muslim.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 1:26amWell, give him a Halal meal, carry out the execution and let Allah decide his fate. I don’t see any problem here. Do you?
Report Post »rs9
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 4:34pmIs cyanide on the approved muslim menu if so give him a snoot full
Report Post »Delores at CH WV
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:14amWho ever said that prisoners were entitled to food of their choice. If he is in prison, then, he must have violated the law. If he doesn’t like pork, then, ask for some Government Peanut Butter, Oh, No! he will claim he has a Peanut Allergy. Really, Bush didn’t do us a favor by feeding those War Crimmals Chicken………Food may be a human right, however, prison food is prison food. This is not a hotel for vacationers.
Report Post »qzak491
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 10:42amI’m with you. I thought when you were arrested you forfeit your rights???
Report Post »Kid800
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 2:19pmwhen you’re in jail you have more rights than the average citizen.
Report Post »New York lost this same law suit in federal court… go figure.
Middle Finger
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:12amHow about a nice warm Camel turd sandwich. You don’t have any rights, convict, muslim.
Report Post »WeeDontNeedNoSteeeenkinBadges
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:10am“He says the meals violate his civil rights. Vegetarian and non-pork options aren’t good enough.”
Will someone please give this diaper-head his virgins?!?
Report Post »ramburner
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:18amI agree, let us not violate his civil rights anymore, schedule his death right away, so he can eat all he wants. Why is our society so PC? Bring the bum out back and make sure he gets what he needs, a lead sandwich.
Report Post »GUNTHER30
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 2:38amWish we would bring back public hangings, I am pretty sure the crime rates would drop.
Report Post »MIBUGNU2
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 10:36amSend him to allah and his virgins, asap..
Bacon cheese burger for last meal…
Ya know MA would do the PC Bullshi** !!
Report Post »Van Bones
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:25amThe virgins this dirty filthy sub-human muslim has waiting for him are male.
Report Post »KusoJiJi
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:00ami like the japanese death row a lot better then ours. they have an appeals process that takes quite a long time but what makes it so damn fair to the victim and the victim’s family is that the inmate is never really sure when his appeal process ends. they go to sleep each night not knowing if it is their last. the executioner comes in the middle of the night and leads them to the gallows. the next of kin is notified the following morning to pick up their dead. justice served.
Report Post »mils
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:11amI like this..
Report Post »I think prisioners in america get too many freedoms as it is. Peanut butter and bread..with water thrown in .
Seriously, this man is lucky he’s not naked in general population at play time. Nothing special for him.
HE KILLED TWO PEOPLE AND HE’S WORRIED ABOUT HIS FREAKIN DIET??? Oh please, such a waste of money.
1947
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:49amSt. Augustine has a high value of food to meet the needs for a MUSLIM and cow, pig or goat
Report Post »tckid17
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:41amHalal today He-Lell tomorrow.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:34amI’ve been eating peanutbutter and jelly for years. What’s this guys problem?
Report Post »HairRazor
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 10:13ampoitical correctness at its best.. a spineless system, complacent citizens, and dumpster dems have brought this place low.. very low.
Report Post »Echelon
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:32amLets make this easy people: you BREAK THE LAW, CONVICTED, IN PRISON – you lose your rights – its that easy. People have abused their religious freedom and played this record far too long. Its time for change.
Report Post »Salamander
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:51amIn Turkey, it is your family’s responsibility to feed you in prison, not the state’s responsibility! This guy is lucky he gets food at all, compliments of the U.S. He’d not be treated as well at home, I’d bet!
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 4:05amI am from Ohio and heard this on our local news. He is worried about his rights? What about his victims rights? My advice would be, “So don’t eat the pork , you are on death row.” What rights other than food, water, and shelter does this man think that he is entitled to? Sorry for the inconvienence!……NOT! There are plenty of people right now that do not get three squares a day, or even one. The economy sucks and allot law abiding citizens can’t afford the luxury of having that choice . Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, you big baby! This is ridiculous and should never be an issue.
Report Post »4truth2all
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 7:43pmExersize the sentence, and when he gets to heaven he can have his virgins cook for him.
Report Post »blackeyerat
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:31amboo hoo too bad shut and just eat
Report Post »its_time_to_arrest_our_government
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:38amtodays lunch ham! tomorrows lunch ham! wanna try for the next days pork meal. you gave up your right to pick and choose what you eat buddy be lucky your eating at all.
Report Post »wordweaver
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:27amI say feed him chicken nuggets, and make sure to tell him what part of the chicken the nugget is. No dipping sauce. Throw in some yellow vegetables. Enjoy your meal, sir. Complain if you like, but we are just looking for a reason to move up your date with destiny.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:38amDon’t the Brits have something called a “blood pie” made from pigs blood? Make that choice one on the menu and anything else choice two. He’ll eat.
Report Post »Woman
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 10:10amReally Monk? You gotta be pulling my leg! Figuratively of course, because you’re a monk!!
Report Post »bhwms
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 3:10pmBlood Pudding, yeah – it’s a sausage made with blood as a filler. Horrible horrible stuff. That and Haggis make me retch.
Report Post »Ferrarello
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:25amStick this fool in the hole for 6 months….see if he complains about the food their.
Report Post »Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:23amPork Chop and bacon sandwich with Pig Poop spread.
Report Post »Warm In The Desert
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:19amThis man seems to demand his food be prepared in a similar manner his religion prefers to deal with infidels, by the slitting of throats.
You have no rights, religious or otherwise, they were long given up when you were convicted.
Report Post »Old Truckers
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:15amA starving inmate will eat anything.
Report Post »PrfctlyFrank
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:24amAnd if they don‘t we’ll save $1.70 a day..
Report Post »timej31
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:14amlol
Report Post »geonj
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:14amhurry up and kill him. problem solved.
Report Post »american_rose_126
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:09amThis is ludicrous. And terribly insulting. I wonder if that’s why he killed his wife? Maybe she wasn‘t very good at the whole ’cooking halal’ thing…I’m kidding–but seriously, this madness MUST end. He is on death row. And if he thinks eating ‘halal’ style is going to save his soul on the way to the chamber…wow. He should never have committed murder in the first place. Spend more time on your knees. Fast and pray. Filing some drivel lawsuit is definitely NOT helping your eternal cause. Sorry.
Report Post »PrfctlyFrank
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:05amSeriously? And we accommodate this BS for what reason? This kind of clueless crap is what gets us into the kind of trouble we’re in nationwide.. Hang the ****** ******* and get it over with.. Felony = loss of rights…
Report Post »MrHr1207
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 11:57pmI should of also mentioned if this is some religious right bs Then if I end up in prison my religion states that I have sex with a hot ass women every night! I swear it does!
Report Post »bigdaddyt46
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 4:05amsign me up for that!!!!!
Report Post »Elena2010
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 11:57pmCan’t do the time? Then don’t do the crime!
In Japanese jails, your family is responsible to get you something to eat.
Since vegetables are not slaughtered, they should be good enough. Eat what is served or go on a hunger strike and die for all we care.
Report Post »connect the dots
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 8:49amYES, What she said, !!! Eat it , or die hungry………………..we really don’t care !
Report Post »MrHr1207
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 11:55pmummmm what rights do you have as a prisoner except not to be treated cruel or unusual?
Report Post »netmail
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 11:48pmExecute him now to avoid all future meals. Problem solved.
Report Post »OhSuzieQ
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 8:36amnetmail said,
“Execute him now to avoid all future meals. Problem solved.”
He doesn’t look underfed. I’m with you Netmail, just execute him now…end of problem.
Report Post »thepatriotdave
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 11:47pmMuslim Death Row Inmate Sues Over Lack of Halal Meals in Prison
Report Post »Posted October 4, 2011 at 11:45 pm by Tiffany Gabbay
He says the meals violate his civil rights. Vegetarian and non-pork options aren’t good enough.
================================================
Tuff s***.
OlefromMN
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:06amDad always would say TS when we kids would complain about something. It took a few years until we understood what he meant. I like your usage of the term here. It is fitting.
Report Post »Tronix
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 1:28amTS=Terms of Service? Taylor Swift? Toy Story? Technical Support? Tupac Shakur? Terribly Sad?
Report Post »