Oklahoma City bombing conspirator denied again

By The AP
Friday, December 3, 2010

DENVER — A federal judge isn’t changing her ruling dismissing a lawsuit Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols filed over his prison diet.

Nichols is serving a life sentence in a federal prison in Colorado for his role in the 1995 bombing of the federal building that killed 168 people. He had alleged religious discrimination because the prison won’t give him high-fiber whole foods that he says he needs as a Christian.

U.S. District Judge Christine Arguello dismissed his lawsuit in August, but Nichols challenged that. Arguello this week affirmed her ruling. She says Nichols can’t claim religious discrimination over the nutritional content of his meals and that the right to practice one’s religion while in prison isn’t absolute.