A Connecticut inmate who awaits his execution refuses to eat food served in prison as he alleges that it is not kosher.
The inmate was identified as Steven Hayes and according to reports, he has sued the Department of Correction back in August as he alleged that they would not serve him a kosher diet. He again filed an amended complaint last November 7 and he pressed that due to him not being served with kosher, he has suffered from extreme weight loss.
Hayes is said to be an orthodox Jew as he described himself as such in the lawsuit he has submitted. He added that he has been requesting for a kosher diet ever since May 2013 but he was never given such. He noted that he has suffered for almost two years from emotional injury as he had to choose between following God and to starve or to survive and choose sin over his beliefs and religion.
He had his amendment handwritten and he says he has not eaten any nonkosher food since August 24. Due to this, he now weighs less than 120 pounds compared to his 170-pound weight when he first entered prison back in 2007.
The department countered this saying that they do offer kosher food but Hayes noted that it is contaminated during the preparation. Hayes said that the use of pots, pants, preparation surfaces and appliances are being used to cook what he believes is nonkosher food.
Hayes pressed that the department does not have a reliable orthodox certification that guarantees the food and process is kosher. He added that his religion requires "strict adherence, not close enough."
Hayes also complained about his mental health care, temperature in his cell and alleged harassment from the staff in the prison.
Hayes is said to be on execution due to his role in the killings of a woman and her two daughters. He and another man named Joshua Komisarjevsky were sentenced to death due to the murder of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11.
The killing happened at the home of the family in Cheshire after they were terrorized for hours. According to police reports, the victims have been tied up and two of them were sexually assaulted. The bodies of the three people were found after the house was set on fire.
The patriarch of the family, Dr. William Petit, was beaten to death but survived the attack.
