Sharing Opinion: Religion in the court room?

Before I begin my little verbal escapade, I want to make it clear, that I have NOTHING against Muslims. I may not agree with their religion, however I do not hate them.

So I read a little news story a little while ago about how a little scuffle between and atheist and a muslim took place, made it's way to the courtroom, but ended up taking a religious ruling in the end.

Wait.... a religious based ruling...?

When did american courts allow religious based rulings in their court rooms?

Basically the story goes, and atheist dresses as a zombie Muhammad in a halloween parade, a muslim gets mad, chokes him and tries to rip his costume off, and follows him for a few blocks. The atheist reports this to a police officer, and they get sent to court. In court, the judge makes lets them go, after giving the atheist a lecture in muslim culture. What in the hell was the judge doing giving the atheist crap and sending them on their way for??

America is a place of free speech and freedom of religion. It was Halloween as well. If this muslim character is going to emigrate to a country such as america, he should have taken the time to learn the customs of america as well as the laws. In america you can't go around assaulting people because they are dressed up like someone you worship. In america, laws are supposedly based around the constitution, not on religious beliefs. For the judge to give a ruling to the atheist saying it was his fault that he aggravated the muslim into attacking him because he was dressed up, in the american court of law, was out of line. Was the atheist out of line? Possibly. He dressed up knowing he could possibly offend someone. However, to cause physical violence is more wrong. The atheist even said he has received death threats from muslim extremists saying that if he were in an Islamic country, he would have been hung infront of his family. Well that's great. But guess what, he's not in an Islamic country now is he? According to these muslim extremists, if you broke their religious laws in their country, you can publicly be put to death. That I find sickening and a little extreme. But like I said before, he is not there, he is in America. Now if this muslim is in America, he should be tried like an American. Their rules are not our rules and in the American court of law, the muslim court of law should not be used.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/27/pennsylvania-judge-musim-zombie-muhammad_n_1304764.html?1330380440