Westmoreland inmate accused of stabbing mother should have kosher meals, she says

Although her son stands accused of trying to kill her, the mother of a Westmoreland County Prison inmate wants him to receive a special kosher diet based upon his religious beliefs.

Rose Eckman asked members of the county’s prison board on Monday to allow her son — jailed for the last two years as he awaits trial for her attempted murder — to receive kosher meals while incarcerated at the Hempfield lockup.

Police contend her son, Kort Noel Eckman, 49, of Mt. Pleasant, attempted to kill Rose Eckman on Oct. 3, 2023. She told police her son suffered from delusions and believed she was a Nazi war criminal when he jumped atop her in bed and stabbed her more than 20 times.

During at the start of Monday’s public prison board meeting at the courthouse in Greensburg, Rose Eckman addressed the group.

“I would like for my son to receive kosher food at the Westmoreland County Prison,” she said.

Rose Eckman has attended most of her son’s court appearances since his arrest, but did not elaborate on the request and has declined to discuss the case.

Kort Eckman, according to defense attorney Tim Andrews, observes the Jewish faith and its traditions. Eckman has been denied access to kosher meals while at the jail, Andrews said Monday.

Warden Steve Pelesky and county commissioners, who sit as members of the prison board, declined to respond to questions regarding Eckman’s request.

Pelesky said the jail has no formal policy on food service based on religious beliefs, but will investigate requests for special diets on a case-by-case basis.

“We’ll consider it,” Pelesky said as he said that dietary needs of inmates are primarily addressed by the jail’s medical staff and not based on religious needs.

State prison inmates are given access to special diets related to religious beliefs, according policy posted on the state’s Department of Corrections website.

Allegheny County Jail inmates also have access to special diets.

“Provisions will be made for special diets for health or religious reasons. The medical department will order a special diet for an incarcerated individual, if indicated by a health condition. Incarcerated individuals request a special diet for religious reasons by submitting a request,” according Allegheny County’s website.

Westmoreland County does not post its inmate handbook online.

Jail officials have come under fire over the last month over how it has dealt with Eckman’s religious beliefs.

Andrews said the jail would not allow Eckman to be taken to a courthouse hearing earlier in July because he refused to remove a yarmulke. Also known as a kippah, a yarmulke is the cloth skullcap worn in the Jewish tradition, often by Orthodox men at all times.

County officials cited concerns over the potential smuggling of contraband into the facility as the reason for its initial stance to refuse to transport Eckman to the courthouse.

A county judge later issued an order that said Eckman could wear his yarmulke during the 3-mile trip to and from the courthouse for a hearing last week.

Eckman is next scheduled to return to courthouse for a pretrial hearing in August.