Michael Johnson
UPDATE: 9/21/17 2:30pm Central - Michael Johnson has entered into plea deal in exchange for a reduced sentence instead of going into a retrial. Read our joint press release with the Center for HIV Law & Policy, the ACLU of MO, and the Counter Narrative Project.
Michael Johnson News Release 092117.pdfMichael Johnson, a young gay Black man living with HIV, has been incarcerated since his arrest in October 2013, on charges that he violated Missouri’s antiquated HIV felony law. At the time of his arrest, Johnson was a student and star wrestler at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri.
Johnson was charged with 2 class A felonies and 4 class B felonies based on statements by six complaining witnesses, two of whom have tested positive for HIV. Three of the five complaining witnesses are white, two are African American. Johnson refused to accept any plea bargain. Bail was set at $100,000 cash.
Under Missouri law a class A felony is punishable by a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years or life in prison. A class B felony is punishable by a minimum of 5 years in prison and maximum of 15 years. The Missouri law does not require any proof that Johnson intended to infect anyone, or whether he even thought he might infect someone, only that he knew he was HIV positive and cannot prove that he disclosed that fact when he had sex with another person.
For a detailed timeline of Mr. Johnson's case, click this document from one of our national partners the Center for HIV Law & Policy.
Johnson Case Fact Sheet 040417.pdf