Scranton, PA – Attorneys for the Luzerne County prison have filed court papers denying allegations made by a former inmate who sued the facility, alleging his civil rights were violated because he was denied kosher food in accordance with his religion.
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Ariel Ephraim Varsanyi filed suit against the prison in October, alleging his health was being harmed because he was relegated to eating only fruit, milk, bread and water after prison officials refused his demands for a special diet.
Varsanyi, who has since been transferred to a state prison, was temporarily housed at the county facility pending a hearing on assault charges for the August 2009 shooting of Norman Walker of Wilkes-Barre. Those charges were dismissed in November after a judge ruled Varsanyi had not been brought to trial in time.
In his lawsuit, which Varsanyi authored himself, he claims he is an Orthodox Chassidic Jew, which means he can only consume kosher foods. Varsanyi said he advised prison officials of this, but they refused to accommodate his needs.
In a reply to the suit, attorney Sean McDonough said the prison’s food service practice is based on reasonable interests, including efficient food service and in avoiding possible resentment of other inmates.
McDonough said the demands of other inmates who also requested specialized diets for religious reasons have not been honored for the same reason. McDonough also said Varsanyi’s needs were accommodated by providing him nutritionally adequate food alternatives which were in accordance with a kosher diet.
He should have the right to demand Kosher food
only in America!
i heard he isnt even jewsish he claims he is but just to get better food anyone know more about him?
Had he not done the crime, then he would not have to do the time. All of a sudden he is an “Orthodox Jew”
A prison facility has to supply a human’s 3 basic needs. Food, clothing and shelter. When a prisoner for a legitimate reason cannot eat the prison food, whether due to health or viable religious reasons, it is the prison’s duty (at least in America) to supply that prisoner with an alternative option. I think its quite illogical to compare a human’s need for food to davening with a minyan or living in eretz yisroel.
As someone who livs in Scranton, let it be known that if he really wanted kosher food, he could have recied it from the Chassidic community of Scranton. All he had to do was to speak to the rabbis.
These guys look for any excuse to ferment trouble, and chaos.
That is why they have chaplains! He doesn’t complain about laying Teffilin every day, does he? So he ate fruit veggies having a healthy diet and following obama the meswsiah’s wife ditates.