NYC sued over 'non-vegetarian' prison policy

By Gail Appleson

NEW YORK, July 3 (Reuters) - New York City is being sued for refusing to provide vegan meals to prison inmates who say their Jewish beliefs forbid the unnecessary infliction of pain on animals, according to a case made public on Thursday.

Lawyers for the three inmates, serving sentences ranging from one year to two to six years on criminal mischief charges for their activities during a protest against animal testing, said they believe this is the first suit of its type against the New York City Department of Corrections (DOC).

The U.S. Bureau of Prisons began offering vegetarian entree choices to federal inmates in 2000.

Although U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin denied a temporary restraining order against the city on Thursday, she set a hearing for Wednesday in Manhattan federal court over whether she should order that vegan meals be provided.

Vegans do not eat any animal products, including meat, dairy products, eggs and honey. The plaintiffs say that because they are denied vegan foods, they are existing on peanut butter, crackers and potato chips and thus suffering from such health problems as fatigue and weight loss.

The DOC accommodates religious dietary requirements, such as offering Kosher and Halal meals for Jewish and Muslim inmates, but its written policy states "vegetarian diets are not offered in this DOC system."

"We think that policy is wrong. We think it's unconstitutional," Leonard Egert, one of the inmates' lawyers, told the judge. The suit also alleges that the inmates' right to free exercise of religion is being violated.

Jeffrey Dantowitz, a lawyer for the city, said he did not know of any branch of Judaism of which vegetarianism is a tenet.

Egert pointed to an affidavit from Richard Schwartz, a college professor and president of the group Jewish Vegetarians of North America, saying vegetarianism is consistent with the teachings of Judaism.

Scheindlin said that if the inmates sincerely believe a vegan diet is part of their religious views, the courts could side with their case. The plaintiffs, aged 17 to 24, have all been vegans for at least five years.



07/03/03 18:30 ET

interesting article

I empathize with these Vegan Jews. My religion, Hedonism, requires that I eat only foods that I enjoy, and only in excessive quantities. By the way, I've been a Hedonist for almost five years. I believe forcing me to eat regular prison would be cruel and unusual punishment. That's specifically prohibited by the Constitution. This is very important lawsuit and affects us all as Americans and human beings. Only a facist, Bush-ruled government would lower itself to torture political prisoners in such a cruel fashion. The revolution draws closer every day!

They should be allowed vegan meals WITHOUT it being related to religion. Stupid!

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do you think, saddam or kim-il-sung ruled government should not torture political prisoners in yet more cruel fashion ?



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i'm agree with you



regards

atheist jewish vegan

I agree they should get Vegan meals.

Bread and Water ---- isn't that Vegan? Toss in a little gruel too.

No meat for any of those hardened criminals.

A good steak dinner might be a suitable reward for turning in a fellow prisoner who's doing something illegal, or for information leading to the arrest of another criminal still on the streets.

But on a day to day basis, a Vegan diet is all they deserve (bread, water, and gruel).

"I believe forcing me to eat regular prison would be cruel and unusual punishment."

I agree. Who would want to eat a prison? Idiot.

Did I miss something, or does it not say in the article that they eat the vegan meals of peanut butter, bread, chips, etc.?

They ARE being served vegan.

In Guantanamo we are giving Moslem war prisoners their Religiously prescribed diets, but we can't do it for our own people who are prisoners! Just more Conservative hypocrisy?