Cicero officer facing HIV charge, AIDS advocates react
A Cicero Police officer is facing a charge of criminally transmitting HIV, a charge that AIDS advocates say relies on stigmatization and misinformation on HIV. Officer X, 38, of LaGrange Park, is of accused of engaging in sexual activity with a 24-year-old man without disclosing his HIV-positive status.
HIV transmission laws in Illinois were tightened up last year after work by AIDS advocates, making prosecution in HIV transmission cases harder. Under new rules, prosecutors must prove that a person intended to spread HIV, did not wear a condom and engaged in insertive anal or vaginal intercourse.
But X will be prosecuted under old law, confirmed Tandra Simonton, spokesperson for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office. Because the alleged crime occurred in July and the new law took effect Aug. 21, those exemptions will not apply to X’s case. His charge is a Class 2 felony.
