Man accused of giving ex-wife HIV will have to reveal lifestyle
LOS ANGELES — A judge has ruled a man accused of infecting his ex-wife with the AIDS virus will have to disclose his sexual orientation in an upcoming civil trial.
Superior Court Judge Rolf Treu has ruled that attorneys representing the man’s ex-wife can use his e-mails as evidence of his “rampant, high-risk secret (homo)sexual lifestyle.” The e-mails show he “actually acquired HIV through his high-risk sexual behavior,” court documents show.
The former couple, referred to in court papers as Bridget B. and John B., married in July 2000 and divorced in October 2003. Both were diagnosed with HIV in October 2000, and doctors said in January 2002 that the husband had AIDS.
Both blame the other for their conditions.
The ex-wife filed her lawsuit in 2002, claiming negligence, fraud and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
The state Supreme Court ruled in 2006 that the woman could sue her former partner for allegedly infecting her with HIV, even if he did not know he was HIV-positive at the time. But the high court also set limits on how much information she could get about his past sexual partners.
The trial will be split into two phases. The first trial, scheduled to begin next month, will deal with whether the ex-wife waited too long to file her lawsuit. If she prevails, a second trial will be held on the other claims.
