Ohio Prison Chaplain Loses Gay Choir Leader Fight

A federal appeals court has supported Ohio correctional officials'
reprimand of a prison chaplain who barred a gay inmate from leading the
choir.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Chaplain William Akridge's
lawsuit that claimed his First Amendment rights were violated when
corrections officials reprimanded him for refusing to allow a gay inmate to
lead a choir at religious services.

In spring 2002, Akridge became a full-time chaplain at Ohio's Madison
Correctional Institution. Not long after arriving at the post, Akridge was
approached by an inmate who wanted to play music during Protestant
services. Akridge told the inmate he did not mind the group playing music
at the services, as long as the inmates did not play "pagan music."
The prisoner then accused Akridge of acting with hostility toward him
because he is gay. According to court documents, the chaplain responded, "I
didn't know you are gay. But since you tell me you are gay, then that is
reason enough for you not to...lead the band."

The inmate filed a complaint with state correctional officials, launching
an investigation. The deputy prison warden told Akridge to give the inmate
the opportunity to be one of the choir directors. The chaplain refused and
was subsequently fined two days' pay. He then voluntarily transferred to
another prison.

A three-judge panel of the 6th Circuit found that the interests of the
corrections officials in upholding non-discrimination policies outweighed
any restrictions on Akridge's constitutional rights. (Akridge v. Wilkinson)