Jones v. Bradley

590 F.2d 294 Richard L. JONES, # 126374, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Harold B. BRADLEY, Director, Department of Corrections of the Department of Social and Health Services, B. J. Rhay, Superintendent, Washington State Penitentiary, (and) Father James Cummins, Chaplain, Washington State Penitentiary, Defendants-Appellees. No. 77-1302. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Jan. 11, 1979. Rehearing Denied Feb. 20, 1979. Richard L. Jones, in pro per. Slade Gorton, Atty. Gen., Olympia, Wash., for defendants-appellees. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Eastern Washington. Before WRIGHT and GOODWIN, Circuit Judges, and JAMESON, District Judge. * EUGENE A. WRIGHT, Circuit Judge: 1 Jones, an inmate at Washington State Penitentiary and a self-proclaimed pastor of the Universal Life Church (ULC), seeks injunctive relief and damages against prison officials for denying him the free exercise of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment. 1 The district court dismissed the complaint with prejudice, concluding that the ULC is not a religion and not entitled to First Amendment protections. We do not reach that question, but affirm the dismissal on other…