Someone needs to give the Oklahoma City Police Department a crash course on how HIV is spread.
Over the weekend, they arrested a man for “knowingly transferring HIV” after he allegedly spit on a woman during an argument.
Related: Unfortunate New Study Finds HIV Stigma And Discrimination Is Alive And Well
The alleged “victim” told authorities that she and 32-year-old Apollo Gonzalez got into an argument on Saturday. During the squabble, Gonzaelz, who the woman claims was drunk, spit in her face.
How about we take this to the next level?
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“The [woman] said it is well-known that [Gonzalez] is HIV positive and [Gonzalez] admitted to me he had HIV,” the police report stated.
The cops arrested him at the scene for “knowingly transferring the HIV virus and assault and battery.”
For the record: Gonzalez did not “transfer” HIV virus. And he “acknowledged” he has HIV, he did not “admit” it.
Look it up, folks. According to AIDS.gov: “HIV is not spread through the air and it does not live long outside the human body.” In other words, The virus is not transmitted through saliva.
Related: HIV+ Man’s Photo With His HIV- Family Goes Viral, Combats Stigma
h/t: kfor
Clark35
Yes this happens in lots of states and countries.
Spekter
Used to know him. Apparently he also claimed that all the arresting officers and four prison guards raped him. He’s got a screw loose.
Victor Barry
HIV transmission via being spit on is highly unlikely.
Frank Croix
I agree but spitting on someone is still an assault.
Robert Paige
Its impossible unless you drink gallons of it some idiots need to get more education
Josh Nollenberg
1) Spitting on anyone is awful and likely prosecutable as assault as Frank mentions, and it should be. Eww. 2) Saliva doesn’t carry HIV so the charge that was given isn’t appropriate.
Valerie Anderson
Jerk and sicko!
Ken VanArsdale
Stupid
Masc Pride
Good. No sympathy. Spitting at/on someone is possibly the nastiest thing you could do to another person. May not transmit the virus, but it’s definitely assault.
Jason Ketchem
Bullshit
Blackceo
HIV or not, he should’ve had his ass whooped for spitting on someone. You can call me every fag*ot, ni**er, spi*k, etc in the book but if you spit on me it’s gonna take a gang of people to get my hands from around your neck. That’s just nasty but yes there is an issue with first responders not knowing HIV can’t be transmitted by spitting on someone. Mr Gonzalez still needs his ass beat to the white meat tho.
Giancarlo85
Spitting is assault (asides from being disgusting behavior). It should be an assault charge. Spitting does not transfer HIV however. Have the pollice and DA been sleeping under a rock the past 20 years? There has been enough research into this. The charge does not fit the crime.
timmm55
While his behavior may have been contemptible and not gentlemanly, HIV should not be a means to “upgrade” punishment. Do we know how much of a “lady” she was?
I posted to the local ABC new a Q&A from “The Body” in which a mother asked about her HIV baby spitting on her. Of course the answer was zero.
What would the crime be if he wasn’t HIV? THAT should be the charge, not an additional HIV related one. Certainly not one about exposing, or intentional transmission or any other mythical/paranoid assertion that is untrue. It’s stigmatizing and victimizes the HIV person unfairly….even if he is a jerk.
Rye Iwata
Assault!
Tommy Watson
Um, dumb. Both of them.
Samuel Jaxsin
Um, this isn’t real. Lame!
Roger Honeycutt
Nasty but that didn’t transfer HIV
Pablo Maine
Yet again you guys are idiot for spreading ignorance and hiv transmission shame on you.
Chris
You could almost say that he spat during a spat.
patricko
Whether the officer’s charge is correct depends on what the statute says. If the statute makes spitting while HIV-infected a crime, then the charge could be valid but based on a stupid law. In this case, the OK statute doesn’t include saliva unless blood is visible in the saliva. Probably gets tossed quickly and he will be left with assault and battery.
Bauhaus
Clearly, the guy in the photo doesn’t know how to hock a loogie, or, he’s not a goo gobbler.
amj86
@Masc Pride: Wait. Good that he was charged with assault or good that he was charged with transmitting/attempting to transmit HIV?
Because I agree with you on the assault charge but I feel like this HIV transmission charge perpetuates the very irrational fears about HIV that we’ve worked really hard to combat.
RAND0M
Knowing this guy, and I do, he probably threatened to give her HIV before he spat. That is definitely something he would and has done before, along with the rape accusations. Stop defending this guy. If he said something to give these officers reason to believe he had intent, they are justified in their charges.
RAND0M
@Robert Paige:
He told the girl and the surrounding people the reason he was spitting on them was to spread the virus, idiot. That’s enough to charge him with the intent. He threatened them with the virus before spitting!