Source: Sacramento Bee

On July 17, 1999, the Sacramento Bee reported that U.S. District Judge Lawrence K. Karlton cited the California Department of Corrections in contempt of court for not fully implementing a court decision in February of 1999 that ensured the right of every Muslim inmate to attend Jumu'ah prayer services at midday on Fridays. Ernest Fenelon, a California Medical Facility inmate who is Muslim, brought suit against the Department of Corrections in 1995 for not allowing him to attend Jumu'ah services. Judge Karlton ruled in Fenelon's favor in February, but the Department of Corrections granted only Fenelon the freedom to attend services - not all Muslim inmates. Speaking to the lawyers defending the Department of Corrections, Karlton railed: "It is only my good sense that keeps me from putting you and your clients in jail and let you see what it feels like." Karlton also added that the Department of Corrections "will face sanctions by the court" if it does not submit a plan to accommodate all Muslim prisoners.