Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Court: Inmate can’t use spiritual name on correspondence

By: Associated Press//January 8, 2015//

Court: Inmate can’t use spiritual name on correspondence

By: Associated Press//January 8, 2015//

Listen to this article

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin prisoner can’t call himself only by his spiritual name on his letters.

Norman Green was convicted of homicide in 1991. He filed a lawsuit in 2011 demanding he be allowed to call himself only by the spiritual name Prince Atum-Ra Uhuru Mutawakkil in his correspondence. He contended a prison policy allowing inmates who have legally changed their names to use those new names applies to him.

The 4th District Court of Appeals rejected his arguments Thursday. The court concluded allowing inmates who adopt spiritual names to omit the name they were convicted under on correspondence would slow prison mail and hurt staff’s ability to identify gang activity. The court noted that Green can use both names on his letters, though.

Court documents didn’t list an attorney for Green.

READ OUR RELATED CASE DIGEST

Polls

What kind of stories do you want to read more of?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Legal News

See All Legal News

WLJ People

Sea all WLJ People

Opinion Digests