Apparently Judge Jon-Jo Douglas believes that HIV can live in a “dried state,” reactivate and then infect at will. In an effort to avoid infection, Douglas insisted that an HIV positive witness wear a mask while testifying. He then moved the case to a larger courtroom so that he wouldn’t be so close to said witness. Absolutely insane, right? Activists and legal types think so, too:
In their Jan. 17 letter of complaint, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and the HIV and AIDS Legal Clinic (Ontario) say Douglas’s response to the witness, a complainant in a sexual assault case, reveals “shockingly discriminatory thinking” and is a “particularly extreme example of unacceptable conduct by a judicial officer.”
The organizations say the case also raises questions about the extent to which judges are informed about HIV/AIDS and related human rights issues.
Their complaints target not only Douglas, but two courts – his own and the Superior Court of Justice, for failing to clearly condemn the behaviour.
The Crown applied to the Superior Court of Justice to have Douglas removed from the case for creating an appearance of bias. But Justice Margaret Eberhard declined, saying while his approach may have been wrong, Douglas had jurisdiction to take the steps he felt necessary to ensure courtroom safety.
Ontario’s Criminal Lawyers Association has also lodged a complaint with the judicial council. The lawyers’ group contends Douglas did not bring a judicial temperament to trial proceedings and treated a witness differently on the basis of irrelevant personal characteristics. Contacted yesterday, association president Frank Addario declined to discuss the allegations. The complaints are being investigated by a judicial council subcommittee, which will determine if a public inquiry into Douglas’s fitness to remain on the bench is warranted.
We think it’s safe to say that Douglas ain’t fit for the bench. Not only does he not understand HIV/AIDS, but he looks bat shit crazy.
Paul Raposo
Not only is this douchebag acting like that toward an HIV+ person, but a person who is a rape victim as well?
yalesing
as a gay,i feel sad. in the sexual assault case, reveals “shockingly discriminatory thinkingâ€.in somebody’ eyes gay is equal to HIV/AIDS, and deprive gay’human rights including love between homosexual.i am a gay and my profile is on gaysinglehunt.com where i look for gay partner
emb
Please oh please oh please, Queerty, DO SOMETHING about these nonsensical advertising posts.
gay as life
OK all you USA bashing Canadians, let’s hear from you!
Jonny Canuck
Well “Gay as Life” I guess I fall into that catagory. All I can say is that at least we don’t elect our looneys to high office. Even in tolerant Canada we have our freaks and losers.
Bitch Republic
That judge looks like a pedophile.
tom
um excuse me, people with HIV/AIDS are usually promiscuous gay men and do not need any sympathy
http://www.liltomtom.com
seitan-on-a-stick
It’s Judge Tom Tom or is that Judge Judy and Gay Executioner. Your site must suck. Canada is much more progressive than the US except their current PM and this scenile judge.
Snoodle
Ugh…as a Canadian I’m ashamed he comes from here…I shall throw him at our current and quite useless prime minister (who tried, tried, and TRIED just so hard to get rid of our gay rights laws when he came into power…and really hasn’t been heard from since.)