July 16, 2009

Positive Spokane Man Charged Again for Failing to Disclose to Partners

An HIV-positive man in Spokane, Washington, who was charged with first degree assault for having sex with other men without disclosing his status, returned to court July 15 facing a second assault charge, KREM reports.

According to the article, 22-year-old Zuriel Roush believes he had unprotected sex with at least 25 other men. Since KREM began reporting on this story, 12 men have come forward. Only one is pressing charges.

Roush said he “feels guilty” about potentially exposing other men to HIV and added that he wishes he “could take it all back.”

Search: Spokane, Washington, criminalization, disclosure, MSM

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Previous Comments:

Frank, Los Angeles, CA, 2009-10-07 03:26:31
Alright, a study was done its published about prosecuting HIV POSITIVE people to help reduce the spread of HIV by 12% over the next 10 years This is scary stuff, if they can put all POZ people in jail over the next 10 years for charges like murder, attempted murder etc and start requiring mandatory testing nationwide, the government will be locking us up 1 by 1 We have to stop this before it gets out of control Heres the link ideas dot repec dot org/p/nbr/nberwo/12903 dot html#statistics

Frank, Los Angeles, CA, 2009-10-07 03:10:14
Get rid of these biased Prosecutions get the Fear/Hate laws off the books, It takes two to tango unless your raped and I believe we already have laws for that, You should accept responsiblity for yourself Q}If I as a positive person meet a guy and he gives me a different hiv strain because we weren't safe, can he be prosecuted? If I meet a guy who I tell I am POZ and he says thats ok but forgets to tell me that he has Hep B or C or Flu or other STD can I have him charged with attempted murder?

Stop the Prosecutions, San Diego, CA, 2009-10-07 02:40:53
I agree with all who posted that sex and intimate incounters is the responsibility of both parties involved. But in the gay world, it is widely known and accepted that you should "ASSUME" everyone is "Positive". This way you have no one to blame for not being playing safe. This criminalization of people needs to stop. If i were his attorney, I would look up the accusers past sexually transmitted diseases etc.. to see if he didn't pass something on to Zuriel and bring this out in trial.

James, Akron, 2009-08-19 16:00:56
It is just stupid that anyone that is HIV+ would have undisclosed sex with another person with the laws that on the books. If he should be prosecuted for anything it is stupidity. I understand that the laws are there to protect the "innocent". Now tell me what the heck ever happened to being personally accountable for your own actions? The negative people are just as guilty as Roush because they weren't proactive in their own care.

Shane, North Myrtle Beach, 2009-08-16 14:35:51
As an HIV-positive individual who has carried this infection for 20 years, I feel that it is important that those infected do all they can to prevent the spread of the infection. However, it is unfair that an HIV+ person is considered criminally wrong for not dislosing such to a sex partner, but very few states have any such laws against those who have herpes, genital warts, etc that do not disclose thier statuses. Ultimately, it is up to each individual to see to their own safety.

dancelikuluvme, Honolulu, 2009-08-12 18:43:26
You should not feel guilty for someone else's lack of concern or responsibility for their own body.

shayne, new york, 2009-08-07 15:51:25
Everyone knows about aids. If the guy was so concerned with HIV, he should have asked to use a condom. It goes without saying in New York, that if you do not use a condom, you are both poz. If you drink and drive, you know you could be arrested for drunk driving. The same goes for unprotected sex. If you do not use a condom, you can get hiv. Plain and simple.

G!, , 2009-08-05 13:53:32
This is why I'll never get tested!! There is no way I can not be POZ yet if anyone ever asks, I honestly tell them I've never tested POZ. I also think HIV negative people should be thrown in prison if they transmit the flu or pnemonia or other non-sexual diseases to an HIV positive person since they could die. Whats worse?

ICHOSE2BPOZ, VA, , 2009-08-04 11:37:59
We are all consenting adults. As a bottom myself who loves barebacking i know the risks i take everytime i drop my pants and bend over. I dont ask, dont matter. In the heat of the moment no one cares. Tehy all want to cry foul after the fact. When i wa sneg I looked for charged loads to take. It was a rush and a thrill. There were 2 guys who told me they were poz as they were about to cumm in my ass and I pulled them in deeper. Its a choice, not a risk. Leave the man alone.

Jones, Philadelphia, 2009-07-31 14:59:26
Sleeping with 25 men? Wowsers, it is true that it is the responsibility and accountability of an uninfected person to take protective measures but even so that doesn't excuse blatant malicious actions. That's like preparing food for people knowing that a little bit of rat poison or crushed glass is getting into their food and yet you serve it anyway. You are as much liable for murder as an accomplice to a robbery would be. You had knowledge and held that right to yourself.

Cameron, DC, 2009-07-30 11:58:49
Unless this guys sexual partners can clearly prove he outright lied about his HIV Status before having sex and that he is the cause of their being infected (no sex anyone else for the last 6 months/1 year), then he should be charged. But it's the responsibility of both parties to ask and disclose their status before having sex, period. Unless he lied and infected them on purpose and they can prove this, they're all adults and should have to live with their decisions. Even the stupid ones.

HARRY, GOSHEN, INDIANA, 2009-07-23 22:59:55
I HAVE TALKED TO GUYS ON HERE AND ONLINE, I AM VERY CLEAR ABOUT MY STATUS AND THERE IS A FEW GUYS WHO ARE HIV NEG AND WANT ME TO TOP THEM WITHOUT PROTECTION, I ASK THEM WHY THEY WOULD WANT TO RISK BEING INFECTED, THE ANSWERS I GET IS, THEY WANT A CHARGED LOAD. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANYONE ELSE, IF I COULD REVERSE AND NOT HAVE THIS, I WOULD DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO BE NEGITIVE AND STAY THAT WAY.

Frank, San Diego, 2009-07-21 21:08:40
I have met guys who don't ask if you are positive or not until after the actual sexual act. It does take two to tango and everyone should automatically assume that everyone is POSITIVE and take appropriate precautions. This is ridiculous that people are being charged with crimes when we are consenting adults. Unless there is RAPE then there should never be a charge against people who are positive as there is no proof of what really happened or was said behind closed doors between two people.

Chris, Philadelphia, 2009-07-21 17:53:12
I think he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible as should any person not disclosing their status and infecting others. It is the responsibility of HIV+ people to disclose their status up front without the need to be asked! If someone walking down the street gets hit by a stay bullet, it is hardly the walkers fault for being on the sidewalk when gunfire erupts. Stop blaming innocents for the bad behavior of a few HIV+ men - they give us all a bad reputation.

Chad, San Francisco, 2009-07-21 12:57:40
If the guy lied about his status, I think that's a problem. However, if there was no conversaton I feel that his sex partners should be charged with attempted suicide, whis is also a crime. People, it takes two to tango. Both parties are responsible!