Prison chaplain still on duty pending assault inquiry

A San Quentin State Prison chaplain accused of choking his wife with an electrical cord will remain on duty pending the outcome of the investigation, a state spokeswoman said.

Rafeeq Hassan, 66, was arrested April 24 after an incident at his home on the prison grounds. Police determined that Hassan choked his wife with his hands and an electrical cord during an argument over "household issues," according to the sheriff's department.

Hassan, in a phone interview, said he was shaving at the time and was fending off his wife during a "ruckus."

Prosecutors are still reviewing the allegations, said Deputy District Attorney Charles Cacciatore. Hassan, who is free on bail, was assigned a May 12 court date to find out whether he will be charged.

Hassan, a full-time Muslim chaplain who makes $59,000 a year, has not been placed on suspension by prison officials.

"They need to wait until they receive all the documentation and reports until they make a decision about suspending him," said Terry Thornton, a spokeswoman for the state correctional department.

The prison employs five chaplains - Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Native American. Hassan pays about $800 a month to rent his home at the prison, Thornton said. 

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