Inmate with HIV gets up to 8 years for spitting

[Natasha]

Inmate with HIV gets up to 8 years for spitting

http://www.timesleader.com/news/Inmate_with_HIV_gets_up_to_8_years_for_spitting_12-17-2008.html
Sheena Delazio
12/17/2008

WILKES-BARRE -- A former inmate at the State Correctional Institution at Dallas was sentenced to up to eight years in prison on Tuesday for spitting on a corrections officer.

Quinnones, who is transgender and infected with HIV, was found guilty of assault by a prisoner, aggravated harassment by a prisoner and recklessly endangering another person. Her partner, Anthony Gray, 27, was found guilty of aggravated harassment by a prisoner.

[Kaweah]

This sentence is unjust.  Saliva, unless it is bloody, doesn't pose a HIV transmission risk.  The jury acted out of unfounded HIV fear.  I'm glad Nicole is going to appeal the conviction (recklessly endangering another person?), but I hope she finds better representation than she had.

[tekla]

You mean the representation she had that got her into the joint in the first place?

[Kaweah]

You mean the representation she had that got her into the joint in the first place?

I'm not familiar with her, so I assume her original conviction was just.

But I just re-read the article and see that Nicole represented herself (with the assistance of stand-by counsel.)  Not a good idea.  I really hope she doesn't do that again.

[tekla]

Way down on my list of things to care about is the prisoner/guard deal.

[Kaitlyn]

I'm note sure if my comment will make it past the mods, so here's what I wrote:

This is insane.  She may be the one in prison, but the judge, jury, and all you raving fear-addled bigots here ought to be the ones locked up.  You're frothing with madness.

[tekla]

I teach reading skills, like 'ya know, first grade stuff, in jails and prisons in California.  Its not been a bad deal.  And lots and lots of people in jail, signed stuff that in no way, shape, or form, could they have understood.  I'm damn sure about that, and - not to draw too fine a point on it - that they are all that damn innocent either.  They are bad people.  Not nice.

But, then again, to me, they are pretty nice guys.  So

You never know.

[Kaitlyn]

I'm assuming that she's guilty of the robbery charge - my comment was just about the spitting conviction.

[tekla]

I've been in a big time California jail, like San Quentin, and its not pretty, spitting, its not even a weapon is it?  Oh wait, it could be.  Truth is, it really sucks to have to live in prison.

[lisagurl]

People that act like animals are treated like animals. People that are treated like animals act like animals.

A viscous circle that seems to be continuous. How much opportunities do you give someone before you give up?

[Jay]

Good.

[Kaitlyn]

Good.

How is that good?  What exactly did she do that deserves another eight years?  I don't even see mention that she WANTED to transmit HIV.

[tekla]

Actually, it was four to eight years, though, given the history, I'm not sure that its not going to be the full dime, as the entire 'good behavior' deal doesn't look likely to kick in here.