# Ill. Inmate Can Pursue Religious-Liberty Lawsuit Over Pat-Down February 08, 2010 Author: David L. Hudson Jr. Source: First Amendment Center An Illinois prison inmate’s claim that officials violated his religious-liberty rights by allowing a female staff member to search him has survived initial review by a federal judge. However, the judge rejected his sexual-harassment claim, saying that such a claim did not present a First Amendment issue. Yaphet K. Jamal, incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institute in Pekin, Ill., contended that in June 2009, Religious Services Coordinator Teri Garrett called him over for a pat-down search after a noon meal. Jamal alleges that Garrett, as the religious-services official, knew that his Muslim beliefs prohibited physical contact with a member of the opposite sex other than a parent or spouse. Jamal also alleged that Garrett denied his request to have the pat-down conducted by a male prison official. See also:- [ Courts/Justice ](/news-stories/courtsjustice) - [ Prisons ](/news-stories/prisons) - [ Islam ](/religions/islam) - [ Civic ](/tags/civic) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)