Dutch court sentences 2 men in HIV injection case

[bijou]

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) - A Dutch court convicted two men Wednesday for attempting to infect 14 victims with HIV in a bizarre sex case.

The Groningen District Court found the two guilty of severe assault for injecting semiconscious men with HIV-infected blood at sex parties between January 2006 and May 2007.

Peter M., 49, who was also convicted of rape, was sentenced to nine years in prison and Hans J., 39, received a five-year sentence. Under Dutch privacy laws, the surnames of convicted criminals are not released.

Prosecutors said they would appeal for higher sentences.

"By committing these acts, (Peter M.) has shown himself to have a serious lack of respect for the rights of others," the three-judge panel's written ruling said. "While he knew from his own experience what far-reaching consequences are tied to an infection with HIV, he repeatedly attempted to bring this same hurt to others."  ...

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[Ralph Wiggum]

semiconscious

Isn't that similar to semi-pregnant?

[thundley4]

The suspects were not charged with attempted murder since Dutch courts have held that HIV is a chronic illness rather than an inevitably fatal one.

BS, as of now, AIDS is fatal without continued treatment.  Their attempt to transmit the HIV virus was an attempt to cause AIDS and thereby kill people. The courts thinking would mean that I could stab/shoot someone and then drive them to the hospital, and just be charged with assault.

[Eupher]

European courts are notoriously lax on criminals.

Note that their last names aren't published. It seems their "rights" might be violated if their names are published. Of course, the asswipes who got the injections weren't doing themselves any favors, either.

What goes 'round, comes 'round.

No pun intended.