STATE OF PANIC

Missouri Man Arrested, Charged With Allegedly Failing To Inform His Boyfriend About His HIV-Positive Status

A Stoddard County, Missouri man has been charged with failing to inform sex partners, including his ex boyfriend, about his HIV-status before intercourse.

David Lee Mangum, 36, reportedly told police he had at least 300 unprotected sexual encounters with people he met online or in parks since he was diagnosed with HIV in 2003, reports CNN. Mangum was arrested after his former partner, who has tested positive for HIV, told police that Mangum had lied to him about his status. Mangum later told police that between 50 and 60 of his partners lived in Stoddard County.

Under Missouri law, knowingly exposing someone to HIV without their consent is a felony  that can bring incarceration of up to 15 years, while infecting someone can bring a life term. The Missouri law is one of a growing number of similar laws across the nation, leading to a huge increase in prosecutions. The laws are considered draconian because they place the onus entirely on allegedly HIV-positive people to report their status rather than on a negotiation between both partners. They also may discourage some people at high risk from getting tested for fear of prosecution.

Watch CNN’s report on the arrest below.

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