Baines v. Clarke et al

Filing 91

MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by District Judge James R. Spencer on 12/19/2016. Copy mailed to Plaintiff. (walk, )

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA

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DEC 2 0 2016

Richmond Division

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CLtHK, U.S. DISTRICT COURT
RICHMOND. VA

ARTIS BAINES,

PlaintifT,
Civil Action No. 3:14CV616

V.

C. HICKS, e/fl/.,
Defendants.
MEMORANDUM OPINION

Artis Baines, a Virginia inmate proceeding pro se, brings this 42 U.S.C. § 1983' action

alleging that Defendants^ violated his First Amendment free exercise rights,^ his Fourteenth
Amendment equal protection rights/ his due process rights,^ his rights under the Religious Land
' That statute provides, in pertinent part:
Every person who, under color of any statute ... of any State ... subjects,
or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within
the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities
secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an
action at law....

42 U.S.C. § 1983.

^Baines names the following Defendants: (1) C. Hicks, Assistant Food Operations
Director at Greensville Correctional Center ("GCC"); (2) Kathryn Whitehead, Wage Food

Operations Supervisor at GCC; (3) Anthony Anderson, Food Operations Director Senior at
GCC; (4) Rodney T. Garrett, former Unit Head Manager of Building 6 at GCC; (5) Carolyn M.
Parker, Assistant Warden at GCC; (6) Mark Engelke, Directorof Food Services at the Virginia

Department of Corrections ("VDOC"); (7)Natarcha Gregg, Registered Dietician of the VDOC;
and, (8) Harold W. Clarke, Director of the VDOC. (See Final Compl. 2-8, ECF No. 72;
Answer 3-4, ECF No. 79.)

^"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof...." U.S. Const, amend. 1.

"No State shall... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the
laws." U.S. Const, amend. XIV, § 1.