Sutton v. Rasheed.

• Position: Administrative segregation, prisoner alleges infringement upon free exercise clause of the First Amendment rights - Brief Article

U.S. Appeals Court

RELIGION

RESTRICTIONS

Sutton v. Rasheed, 323 F.3d 236 (3rd Cir. 2003). State prisoners brought a [section] 1983 action alleging infringement upon their rights under the free exercise clause of the First Amendment. The district court granted summary judgment for the defendants and the prisoners appealed. The appeals court affirmed, finding that although the prisoners' rights had been violated, corrections officials were entitled to qualified immunity because the law was not clearly established at the time. The court held that a state prison regulation that prohibited "books other than legal materials and a personal Bible, Holy Koran or other...