MURDERER? Email From PhenomenalWoman.org
"An HIV-positive man who Texas prosecutors say secretly videotaped sexual encounters with 131 young men was sentenced to life in prison for attempting to entice a 15-year-old boy to engage in sex acts."
During his trial, prosecutors alleged Willie Atkins knew of his condition yet endangered dozens of partners by rarely using condoms, and that there was no evidence that he warned anyone that he was HIV-positive.
Atkins was sentenced Friday for attempting to entice a minor for sex, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Because Atkins had two previous felony convictions, for aggravated robbery and firearms possession, he was eligible for the life sentence." (Source)
Basically, Atkins received life because he tried to have sex with a 15-year-old AND he had two previous convictions, NOT because he was HIV positive and had unprotected sex.
Cases like this, inevitably involving black men preying on YOUNG people, seem to crop up every few years.
Remember Nushawn Williams, the 21-year-old who gave at least 13 young girls (some as young as 13!) HIV in upstate New York? He only got a 4-12 year sentence in 1999.
Or in 2004, when my HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATE Sundiata "Ali" Bashir, gave several young women HIV in Washington, DC and received 21-years? But again, he received that because two of his victims were 15 and 17 years old.
What makes these cases especially heinous to many is that the victims are usually under 18. It's like they don't even have a chance...
One out of four new HIV infections are in people under 22 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Because of this, organizations like Project STAY in New York City exist. Project STAY is a haven for young people at risk for, or living with HIV/AIDS.
How can our young people get it through their heads that PROTECTION IS KEY?
In fact, Willie Atkins' lawyers argued that it wasn't HIS fault that his partners got HIV because thet should have known about AIDS and partook in dangerous behaviors.
"They want to say Willie Atkins gave all these people AIDS, spread HIV all over the place," his lawyer, Richard Franklin said. "They can't be living in some parallel universe where they've never heard of AIDS. It can't be his fault alone, if he has any fault at all."
The "dangerous activity" each side engaged in "cancels each other out," he said.
Wow.
Yes, these are the ramblings of a defense attorney, but somehow still ring true. How responsible are we for our OWN protection?? ?
We have got to impress upon our young people that PROTECTION IS KEY. Always. Always. Always. Non-negotiable.
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