Puh-leeease.

Court Orders Prison to Give Inmate Vegan Meals
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Associated Press

BOSTON — A federal judge has ruled that the state's prison system violated a convicted child killer's civil rights by denying him a vegan diet.

U.S. Chief District Judge Mark Wolf ruled this week that the Department of Correction violated federal law protecting religious freedom and ordered the department to provide Daniel Yeboah-Sefah a diet in line with his Buddhist beliefs.

Yeboah-Sefah, formerly known as Henry Boateng, is serving a life sentence for beating his 5-week-old son to death in 1992. He converted and changed his name while in prison.
Boateng was given a vegetarian diet in prison, but said in his lawsuit he wanted a vegan diet free of all animal products.

The department will comply with the order and will not appeal, Diane Wiffin, a prisons spokeswoman said.

Yeboah-Sefah's lawyer, Beverly Chorbajian, said her client is pleased.

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Maybe I'm alone here, but I think when a guy beats his five-week-old son to death and is sentenced to life in prison, he should have to eat the same slop that every other inmate has to eat. The only exception I'd make is if a doctor confirmed that he'd have a deadly allergic reaction to the usual slop. Then he can have carrots and green beans and water. I don't care what he converted to in prison - good for him. But before his change of heart and dietary preferences, he chose to beat an infant to death. Heaven forbid that we now restrict his choices.