Gaillard T. Hunt

“ PETITIONER'S MOTION
TO BE ALLOWED A BIBLE AND OTHER BOOKS
There can be no legitimate governmental interest in denying any prisoner noninflammatory and non-seditious reading matter (except possibly temporarily as a duly authorized disciplinary measure) , because no one can be more confined, and more effectively secured, than while reading. Petitioner's motion therefore asks for release to him of all the books he has been sent: eleven from his family and four from counsel. ”

“ Petitioner should be allowed to work, to associate with other prisoners, and to take part in recreational, educational, and cultural activities, and should be allowed access to reading matter generally. But among the books being denied petitioner is a Bible, which he has expressly and repeatedly requested, and that gives him an independent statutory right to relief. ”

“ The regulations governing federal prisons provide, under 28 CFR 541.21, "Conditions of disciplinary segregation," that even prisoners being punished for infractions of the rules shall have a reasonable amount of non-legal reading matter, not more that five books at a time, and, "Staff shall provide the inmate opportunity to possess religious scriptures of the inmate's faith." The exact standing of the Old and New Testaments in Islam is not relevant. ”