(Colorado Politics) A jury will decide whether Colorado Department of Corrections officials violated an incarcerated man’s rights by terminating his religious diet when he purchased multiple items that allegedly were in conflict with his meal plan.
On Aug. 3, U.S. District Court Senior Judge William J. Martínez agreed a jury could believe Ray Anthony Smith’s claims that prison officials violated his right to religious exercise. Although the government insisted Smith purchased food that was not compliant with his Islamic diet — or, alternatively, that employees made a mistake in thinking the food was not compliant — Martínez noted prisoners have a clearly established right to meals that conform to their beliefs.
