An HIV positive Texas man was sentenced to 35 years in prison for allegedly spitting in the face of a police officer during an arrest for public intoxication. Willie Campbell, a 42 year old resident of Dallas was convicted of ?assault with a deadly weapon? for spitting on an arresting officer after being placed in the squad car.

HIV is not spread through saliva- a fact which has been known since the early days of the epidemic. The Texas court system is using Mr. Campbell?s HIV status as a weapon against him- and by extension all people living with HIV.

There have been other cases of this type of judicial outrage against people with HIV. The science on this is clear and convincing. That the jury was even given the opportunity to consider these charges is beyond the pale.

This is a clear cut case of discrimination against people with HIV. All of us should be up in arms.