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| Woman Sent To Prison For HIV Virus Transmission |
| By WJXT |
| Published: 12/29/2003 |
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A HIV-positive woman accused of having unprotected sex hundreds of men pleaded guilty Dec. 19 to criminal transmission of the virus that causes AIDS. Melissa Jernigan, 25, also pleaded guilty to one count of battery on a law enforcement officer. Prosecutors say she spat on two corrections officers while she was at the Duval County Jail. Jernigan was arrested in March after two men came forward to say she had sex with them without disclosing she was HIV-positive. After her arrest, she told police she'd had unprotected sex with at least 200 men since she was diagnosed in 1999. While Jernigan was initially found incompetent to stand trial, two psychiatrists had recently found Jernigan mentally competent. After the guilty pleas, Judge Peter Dearing sentenced Jernigan to 23 months in prison on the sexual transmission charge, but she was credited with the 288 days she has already served. She was sentenced to 13 months in prison for battery on an officer, which will be served concurrently. Under Florida law, an HIV-positive person having sex with a partner without informing them about the diagnosis is committing a third-degree felony, punishable by five years in prison. Defense attorney Mark Miller said there was no evidence that any Jernigan's sex partners were infected with the virus. |
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