Lawsuit: Inmate not allowed to worship Satan in Southern NM facility

A state prison inmate says New Mexico correction officials aren’t allowing him to practice his religion and properly worship Satan behind bars.

KRQE-TV reports (http://goo.gl/VvTwZX) that Bernard Pritchard recently filed a lawsuit in state court alleging the chaplain and deputy warden at the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Las Cruces treat his faith differently than others.

Pritchard is asking a judge to force the New Mexico Corrections Department to let him worship Satan more freely and wants $140,000 in damages.

The lawsuit doesn’t spell out specifically how Pritchard believes his rights were violated.

The New Mexico Corrections Department declined to comment on the lawsuit. Anthony Romero, deputy director of adult prisons, says officials try to accommodate all religions.

Pritchard is serving time on aggravated stalking charges