Ohio Muslim inmates settle suit over meal preparation

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A Muslim death row inmate has settled a lawsuit that alleged the Ohio prison system denied him meals prepared according to Islamic law while at the same time providing kosher meals to Jewish prisoners.

Ohio had previously decided to remove all pork products from prison menus in response to the lawsuit, although inmates weren’t seeking a ban on pork.

Details of the settlement announced Wednesday afternoon weren’t released and neither the inmate’s lawyer or the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction would comment.

The state argued as recently as last month that providing the meals, known as halal, could bankrupt the state’s food service system because thousands of inmates have declared themselves Muslim.

Attorneys for Abdul Awkal and a second inmate argued the state was exaggerating the cost.