Bunny v. Coughlin

Levine, J. (concurring in part and dissenting in part).

We respectfully disagree with so much of the majority’s decision as upholds respondent’s denial of petitioner’s religiously based dietary request. First, contrary to what the majority’s decision suggests, petitioner is only seeking an accommodation to his religious beliefs equivalent in dietary content to accommodations already made for the religious dietary practices of Muslim and Jewish inmates. Petitioner, in his administrative grievances and his petition and sworn reply affidavit herein, clearly and unmistakably states that he would…