Court Opinion

ID: 9475114
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 05:17:52.621174+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:44:31.272318
License: Public Domain

CAMPBELL, Senior District Judge,
dissenting in part.
I believe we should affirm the damage award given to Azeez and affirm Judge Baker’s ruling in' this area in doing so. In analyzing this issue, we must follow the principles set forth in Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 800, 102 S.Ct. 2727, 2738, 73 L.Ed.2d 396 (1982) where it was held:
[Government officials performing discretionary functions generally are shielded from liability for civil damages insofar as there conduct does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person should have known.
On May 20, 1981 the Illinois Circuit Court issued a Writ of Mandamus, requested by Azeez, requiring prison officials to “hereinafter conduct all official business with [Azeez] using his new name.” To paraphrase Harlow, supra, I consider the writ to have clearly established Azeez’s constitutional right (at least in Illinois) to be referred to by his new Muslim name.' Indeed, on June 1,1981 Azeez was properly issued an identification card bearing only his Muslim name. Yet later that same day his card was inexplicably confiscated and he was given a card reading “Stanley Russell a/k/a Qaid Rafeez Azeez,” clearly indicating officials would still primarily “conduct official business” with him using his old name. Azeez stood up for his rights *1303after they were clearly established by the Illinois courts. As a result he was denied all privileges for two weeks.
I believe prison officials had due notice from the Illinois courts about the rights of Azeez and callously (if not deliberately) violated them. This kind of callousness should not be condoned and I would affirm Judge Baker’s damage award as to Azeez.