Court Opinion

ID: 9470571
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 03:09:35.000142+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:41:58.885657
License: Public Domain

CUDAHY, Circuit Judge,
dissenting:
Although I agree that in many respects the prison rules appear on this record to have “ ‘operate[d] in a neutral fashion.’ ” supra p. 922, in at least one significant area they did not. This becomes clear from an examination of the testimony of Ferdinand Schindler, the prison librarian:
Q. [by Mr. Steiner, the prosecutor] Do you know whether or not he was ever given those books [on Satanism] or those books were ever obtained through inter-library loan?
A. Not through inter-library loan.
Q. Do you know why that was?
A. The reason we did not proceed to get them was because there was a question which I was aware of through the administration from the director of classification and through the two chaplains’ offices that previous to his request there was a philosophy and a thinking that this type of reading was not to be allowed within a correctional institution .... Tr. 150
Q. [by Mr. Childs] You denied me access through the inter-library for Satanism books. Is that for security reasons or personal reasons?
A. Neither.
Q. Well, what’s the reason why it was denied?
A. Because, as I mentioned before, there was an administrative saying that this subject matter was not to be studied or implemented within a state institution and the library was not to be used as a means to obtain this type of information.
Q. I mean, is Catholicism and Protestantism studied in the institution?
A. Yes.
Q. Why not Satanism?
A. Because of the type of subject material.
Q. Subject material, consisting of what?
A. Of the philosophy and the tenets that Satanism stands for. Tr. 155-156
Based upon this testimony as well as upon common expectation, it is unrealistic to suggest that the prison authorities dealt with Satanism in the same way as they might approach a non-mainstream but completely accepted faith like Bahaism. Unfortunately, the record is inadequately developed to disclose how significant a role the tenets of Satanism played in its treatment by prison authorities. Nor do we have any record basis for weighing its presumed antisocial thrust against the guarantees of the first amendment. This is a complex question having very broad potential ramifications.
*924If, as the district court found, Childs’ faith is insincere, he may not have first amendment rights to protect. Or the nature of Satanism may be such that the prison authorities are justified under some or most circumstances in treating it restrictively. I am not put off by the concept that a religion fostering anti-social values and attitudes should be handled with circumspection in a prison. But this concept is difficult and complicated and its resolution is fraught with important consequences.
Since I believe that this case involves an evaluation of Satanism in the prison context, and since this is a question of first impression and of considerable, potential importance, I would remand this case for appointment of counsel and retrial. Counsel was appointed in this case only on appeal. Appointment of counsel at trial is also required because of the importance and complexity of the constitutional issue. As this court recognized in Maclin v. Freake, 650 F.2d 885, 889 (7th Cir.1981), “where the law is not clear, it will often best serve the ends of justice to have both sides of a difficult legal issue presented by those trained in legal analysis.” We should not lightly conclude that because of its content, Satanism is to be denied the full protections of the first amendment. Only on an adequate record could we properly reach such a result; and I doubt that such a record can be forthcoming without appointment of counsel. Basically, therefore, we ought to give the Devil his due.
The effort of the majority to dispose of this case on a basis which does not address the fundamental constitutional issue is appropriate only as to some, but not as to all, of Childs’ contentions. To the extent and for the reasons indicated, I must respectfully dissent.