Karow v. Fuchs

Thaddeus Karow placed an ad in a religious newsletter, seeking “ideas” for how to have his religion recognized as “legitimate” in the Wisconsin prison system. Officers viewed the ad as a prohibited call for collective action, placed Karow in segregation, and issued him a conduct report, Even though a hearing committee exonerated Karow of violating prison rules, the officers continued to threaten Karow with punishment if he ran the ad again. The majority, in concluding that the officers are entitled to qualified immunity on Ka-row’s claim that the officers violated the First Amendment,…