Cooke v. Tramburg

The opinion of the court was delivered by

SchettiNO, J.

Plaintiff, a member of the Black Muslim movement, was confined at the New Jersey State Prison serving a sentence for larceny. He requested the Board of Managers of the New Jersey State Prison to grant to the Black Muslims confined therein the right to assemble in a chapel or other appropriate place of worship and furthermore to permit a Minister of the Black Muslim movement to preach to the congregation assembled there. The Board of Managers denied plaintiff’s request on the ground that if permission were grainted, the practice would be…