Kerry Thomas: Convicted Of HIV Spreading

There must be something between Kerry Thomas and HIV. He had the "honor" of being the first man in Idaho convicted for knowingly spreading HIV. Now Kerry Thomas is charged again accused of committing the same crime: knowingly spreading HIV.

It appears that the former BSU player Kerry Thomas did not learn anything from his last conviction. Why would someone in his good mind knowingly spread HIV? Aren't people naturally good?

This time Kerry Thomas is charged on seven counts of knowingly transferring the HIV virus. Each count carries a maximum punishment of 15 years and a $50,000 fine.

The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention has a very informative coverage on HIV Transmission. There we learn that "HIV is spread by sexual contact with an infected person, by sharing needles and/or syringes (primarily for drug injection) with someone who is infected, or, less commonly (and now very rarely in countries where blood is screened for HIV antibodies), through transfusions of infected blood or blood clotting factors. Babies born to HIV-infected women may become infected before or during birth or through breast-feeding after birth."

Last year in December the police department learned that Kerry Thomas had been involved in a sexual relationship with a woman.

Jean Fisher, Ada County deputy prosecutor told CNN that he does not know why Kerry Thomas would continue to spread the HIV virus, especially as a man who has been previously convicted and spend years behind bars.

Kerry Thomas' HIV counts have two records. He was charged with 4 counts of HIV transmission and two counts of statutory rape in 1990. In 1996 Thomas was again charged with one count of HIV transmission, and a jury convicted him.

Currently it's not known if Kerry Thomas is in custody due to his HIV related charges. The prosecutors are seeking to designate him as a "persistent violator," therefore Thomas is now facing a life in prison.

Casual contact through closed-mouth or "social" kissing is not a risk for transmission of HIV, explains CDC in the same above mentioned place. "Because of the potential for contact with blood during "French" or open-mouth kissing, CDC recommends against engaging in this activity with a person known to be infected. However, the risk of acquiring HIV during open-mouth kissing is believed to be very low. CDC has investigated only one case of HIV infection that may be attributed to contact with blood during open-mouth kissing."