12 Bizarre Reasons Prisoners Sued Their Jails (13 photos)

According to The New York Times, US prisons are required by law to provide inmates with access to legal materials and mail services. On top of that, prisoners have the right to file lawsuits over virtually anything. With plenty of free time on their hands, inmates frequently flood the courts with the most absurd claims. Some complained about bad cafeteria food, others sued God, and some even demanded access to pornography. Here are some of the strangest legal battles sparked behind bars.





Lawrence Bittaker Sued Over "Soggy" Sandwiches

Lawrence Bittaker was a notorious killer who, along with an accomplice, drove around in a modified van torturing and murdering women using household tools.



Behind bars, Bittaker spent his time crafting greeting cards and filing frivolous lawsuits against practically everyone he knew. In one notable suit, he complained about the prison cafeteria, claiming his sandwiches were too soggy and his cookies crumbled too easily.

Joseph Gonzalez and the "Botched" Haircut

Joseph Gonzalez, a convicted sex offender, took the prison to court after receiving what he described as a "defective haircut" behind bars.





According to attorney Ann H. Mathews, Gonzalez claimed that the bad haircut caused him to suffer from sleeplessness, chest pains, and severe headaches.

Kenneth Parker Was Denied Extra Peanut Butter

Kenneth Parker tried to buy two jars of peanut butter at the prison commissary for five dollars. However, the store was low on stock and could only sell him a single jar.



Outraged, he sued the prison under the Civil Rights Act of 1871. Parker demanded $5,500 in damages, citing severe "emotional distress" caused by the missing jar of peanut butter.

Jesse Dimmick Sued His Hostages

Jesse Dimmick broke into the Kansas home of Jared and Lindsay Rowley while fleeing police. He held the couple hostage, during which time the terrified pair fed him and even watched movies with him.



Once Dimmick fell asleep, the couple managed to escape and call the police, leading to his arrest. From behind bars, Dimmick turned around and sued his hostages, claiming they had broken an oral contract to hide him from authorities. The case was ultimately thrown out for lack of merit.

Robert Lee Brock Sued Himself

Robert Lee Brock was serving a 23-year sentence for burglary and grand larceny.



In an unprecedented legal move, he filed a $5 million lawsuit against himself, claiming he had violated his own civil rights and religious beliefs by getting drunk and committing crimes. Since he was incarcerated and had no income, Brock argued that the state should pay the $5 million on his behalf. Unsurprisingly, the suit was dismissed.

Pavel Mircea Sued God

In 2005, Pavel Mircea, a Romanian inmate serving a 20-year sentence for murder, decided to sue the Romanian Orthodox Church.



Mircea argued that his baptism constituted a binding contract between him and God: in exchange for his prayers, God was supposed to protect him from Satan. He claimed that God's failure to protect him led directly to the murder, making the Almighty legally responsible.

A $1 Million Lawsuit Over Melted Ice Cream

Roy Clendinen, an inmate at a prison in Syracuse, New York, filed a civil rights lawsuit in 1992.



The grievance? A correction officer refused to put Clendinen’s ice cream—which he had earned as a reward—into the freezer, causing it to melt. Calling the incident "cruel and unusual punishment," Clendinen demanded $1 million in damages for emotional trauma.

Scott Gomez Sued Over His Own Failed Escape

In 2004, Scott Gomez sued prison officials after a botched escape attempt involving a homemade candle.



Gomez had used the candle to melt through a ceiling tile, climbed onto the roof, and jumped 40 feet to the ground, sustaining severe injuries. He then sued the jail, claiming officials were negligent for failing to prevent his escape. Since he had tried to break out before, he argued that staff should have been well aware of his escape tendencies and stopped him.

Robert Paul Rice Wanted Human Blood on the Menu

Convicted robber Robert Paul Rice sued prison authorities, claiming his religious freedom was being violated.



Rice claimed that upon entering prison, he informed staff he was a "Druidic vampire" and required human blood as part of his diet. When officials refused his request, he filed a civil rights lawsuit demanding blood be added to his meal plan.



James Higgason sued an Indiana prison because he was denied access to pornography. Higgason and his attorneys argued he had a constitutional right to explicit magazines and materials, claiming the ban caused him "emotional distress." He filed a total of 114 lawsuits in his relentless quest for adult magazines—all to no avail.

John Robert Demos Demanded Silver for His Cash

Inmate John Robert Demos filed a lawsuit after prison officials refused to exchange his paper currency for silver bullion.



While a federal law backing paper currency with silver had existed decades earlier, it had long been repealed by the time Demos filed his suit. Demos, a prolific litigant who filed dozens of suits—including a $15 million claim after being denied a legal name change—had his silver demand rejected by the courts.

Kevin Howard Claimed the Jail Was Reading His Mind

Kevin Howard filed a lawsuit alleging that prison staff were broadcasting his inner thoughts over the jail intercom system.



He claimed officials had surreptitiously implanted a device in his brain to monitor and broadcast his mind. The court dismissed the case after prison officials presented medical records proving Howard had never undergone any surgical procedure.