McCollum
McCollum v. California
Opinion
Opinion
Breyer, J.
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
Plaintiff Patrick McCollum, a volunteer Wiccan chaplain for inmates incarcerated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (“CDCR”), contends that defendants treat him differently from volunteers of other faiths because he is a Wiccan. He also alleges that defendants have retaliated against him because of his complaints about the CDCR’s treatment of Wiccans. Now pending before the Court is defendants’ motion for summary judgment on McCollum’s equal protection and retaliation claims. After carefully considering the papers and evidence filed by the parties, and having had the benefit of oral argument, the Court concludes that there are no genuine issues of material fact and GRANTS defendants’ motion.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
McCollum is an ordained Wiccan and Pagan Chaplain accredited by Circle Sanctuary, a Wiccan/Pagan denomination with approximately 60,000 members. He is also an ordained Priest with Our Lady of the Wells Church, an ordained Elder Minister with Covenant of Goddess, a Pagan church. He also has training, certification and extensive knowledge of other Pagan religions.