Wheaton, IL – Hoping to get better food, Brian Dugan changed religions after he was transferred to the DuPage County Jail to stand trial for the murder of 10-year-old Jeanine Nicarico.
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Dugan switched his religious affiliation in jail records from agnostic to Orthodox Judaism, writing in a 2008 letter to a friend that he hoped the change would result in more filling kosher meals.
“I heard the kosher diet was better, so I switched my affiliation. Now I’m the only agnostic Jew in the jail,” Dugan wrote in the letter that was read Tuesday to jurors deciding whether Dugan should receive the death penalty for the 1983 murder of the Naperville girl.
DuPage County prosecutors seeking the death sentence for Dugan — who pleaded guilty in July to fatally bludgeoning Jeanine — are trying to portray him to jurors as manipulative and callous. Dugan already is serving life sentences for two other murders.
During testimony Tuesday, jail officers described how Dugan filed frequent grievances against everything from the poor quality of the paper in a copier used by inmates to the medication he received from a nurse for his hayfever.
An August shakedown of his jail cell also found Dugan had books and magazines he wasn’t supposed to have, including erotic novels and a book about fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter, said Maj. Don Knoll, a DuPage County sheriff’s officer.
In 2009, Dugan again changed diets, switching to vegetarian meals — even though his jailhouse nickname is “cheeseburger.”
In a grievance he filed in July, Dugan complained that diet lacked protein, writing “please ensure I receive a protein substitute.”
there seems to be a lot missing from this story.was he that desperate for a bowl of chicken soup?mustve been an easier/quicker route!
I highly doubt orthodox judaism allows for a convicted murderer to convert…
This does not seem to be an isolated case. An aquaintance of mine has a letter- friendship with someone on death row who did the same: “convert” to judaism (or rather say he is jewish) in order to get better food.
The aquaintance tells me that he often speaks of “us jews” and “antisemitism”, but knows less about halacha than the aquaintence who is not jewish.
I know a rabbi where part of his job is serving prison inmates. He explained that about 10% of his prison work is meeting with actual Jewish inmates and the other 90% is spent meeting with inmates who want to convert to Judaism in order to get better food.
He needs a bris and tvila. probably lots of people would like to assist him with either of those procedures. Not sure that he would survive though
what’s wrong with someone wanting a bissel kugel mit some kneidlach . bon appetit
He’s clearly a con-artist. I hope some Yiddish Maidele doesn’t fall for his act.
somethings wrong with this story
We are not that desparate that we need a killer of a child to become Jewish.
There are many prisons that say thet they have a kosher diet and what does this kosher diet consist of- pork is not being served.
So no, he does not need to change gis religious affiliation to get a kosher diet. He’s already on itif he’s not eating pork.
These kosher meals are the frozen meals that they serve on airlines.
These meals are way too costly for someone who killed a 10 year old girl and for murdering 2 other people.
Give him a kosher pickel for his last meal.
Based on the article, possibly incomplete, you cannot just convert to Judaism by checking a box on a prison form. That may be your intent, but you have to learn about Judaism, have a sincere desire to convert, get into a mikvah before a beit din of three rabbonim, and if you are a man get a brit. I doubt if he fills any of these categories.
This killer wants Jewish food? No problem – lets give him plenty of chulent, p’chaw and lukshen kugel. His goyishe arteries will clog right up, he’ll have a massive coronary and shoin, end of problem.