Want Monkey Meat for Religious Purposes? Get a Permit!

A few years ago, Staten Island resident Mamie Manneh was arrested for smuggling "smoked bushmeat"—skulls, limbs and torsos of "green monkeys and hamadryas baboons" (packed in a box marked "African dresses and smoked fish")—into the U.S. Her lawyers went to the First Amendment, explaining that Manneh's religious beliefs required to eat the contraband goods, with one lawyer telling the judge in 2007, it was "something like a seder ... you know, bitter herbs and that might have some reference to the Exodus or something along those lines." This past week, a judge struck down that argument: According to the Staten Island Advance, federal judge Raymond J. Dearie said that "Manneh's faith didn't bar her from applying for the permits need to import exotic foodstuffs or explain why she misled border officials." Additionally, Manneh is currently serving jailtime for running over a woman she believed was sleeping with her husband.

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By Jen Chung in News on January 4, 2009 12:13 PM

Comments [rss]

KiljoyWasHere

And monkey brains, though popular in Cantonese cuisine, are not often to be found in Washington, D.C.

tsol

She wants to contract HIV the old-fashioned way. Can't we let her?

Rocknrope

I've stared at it for 2 minutes and I still can't make out what the fock that's a picture of. I probably don't want to either.

Spirit of 76

When I read this story, I can't get the scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom out of my head. "Fresh monkey brains!"

r1b2

Smoked bushmeat, huh? Reminds me of a gal I knew at college....

r1b2

Ok, I'm an open sort of guy, but you know what honey? Your religion is stupid. Orthodox Jews don't get to eat pork or shrimp (which is why I'm happy to be a reform Jew,) but requiring you to EAT MONKEY is straight out ridiculous.

Dee_Snutz

best part's the tail. mmmmmmm... delish!

Felix Hoenikker

Nothing in her religion, Dearie wrote, "required her to abstain from truthful completion of paperwork."

Time to re-write the tenets.

"Thou shalt not fill out Customs Form 123478 stroke B"

Felix Hoenikker

Nothing in her religion, Dearie wrote, "required her to abstain from truthful completion of paperwork."

Time to re-write the tenets.

"Thou shalt not fill out Customs Form 123478 stroke B"