Thompson V. Commonwealth Of Kentucky

In this prisoners' rights case,*fn1 the plaintiffs -- Muslim inmates who follow the Islamic religion -- claim that the defendants have infringed their First Amendment right to freedom of religion by denying equal religious liberty and have engaged in religious discrimination in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Upon cross-motions for summary judgment, the District Court found that no issues of material fact remained in dispute and awarded judgment in favor of the defendants. Plaintiffs appeal that decision, contending that a material issue -- the actual number of inmates who regularly use the prison chapel -- must still be determined. Because we do not believe that the case requires such a determination, we affirm the judgment of the District Court.