Allah v. Annucci

OPINION & ORDER   Plaintiff Shakim Abd Allah (“Plaintiff”), currently an inmate at Great Meadow Correctional Facility (“Great Meadow”), brings this pro se Action against Anthony Annucci (“Annucci”), Commissioner of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (“DOCCS”); Cheryl Morris (“Morris”), DOCCS Director of Family and Ministerial Services; Thomas Griffin (“Griffin”), Superintendent of the Green Haven Correctional Facility (“Green Haven”); and Jaifa Collado (“Collado”), Deputy Superintendent of Program Services at Green Haven (collectively, the “initial Defendants”), alleging that they violated his rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments and New York State law by denying Plaintiff the opportunity to attend certain religious events and by failing to provide certain religious accommodations while he was incarcerated at Green Haven. (See Am. Compl. (Dkt. No. 44).) By Opinion & Order dated September 24, 2018, the Court dismissed all claims against Annucci and Morris, and some claims against Griffin and Collado (“Defendants”). (See Dkt. No. 54.) Currently before the Court is Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (the “Motion”). (See Not. of Mot. (Dkt. No. 90).) For the reasons that follow, Defendants’ Motion is granted. I. Background A. Factual Background The following facts are taken from the exhibits submitted, (Dkt. Nos. 93-95), and Defendants’ Statement pursuant to Local Civil Rule 56.1, (Defs.’ Rule 56.1 Statement in Supp. of Motion (“Defs.’ 56.1″) (Dkt. No. 97)).¹ These facts are recounted “in the light most favorable to” Plaintiff, the non-movant. Wandering Dago, Inc. v. Destito, 879 F.3d 20, 30 (2d Cir. 2018) (citation and quotation marks omitted). The facts as described below are not in dispute, except to the extent indicated. 1. Plaintiff’s Religious Practice Plaintiff entered the custody of DOCCS in 1977, and has remained incarcerated ever since. (Defs.’ 56.1

1-2.) In 1981 or 1982, Plaintiff discovered Islam and converted, and he has been registered with DOCCS as a Shi’ite Muslim since approximately 2010. (Id.