Thomas Shevory is author of the 2004 book, “Notorious HIV: The Media Spectacle of Nushawn Williams.” He gives David and Elizabeth a lot of background on the case and discusses the upcoming civil trial that could see Nushawn, whose sentence expired two years ago, locked up in a mental institution for the rest of his life. Does this shock you? It should . . . especially since the Office of Medical and Scientific Justice (OMSJ) has found there is no evidence that Williams has ever been HIV positive.
For other reading, see a 1997 Rethinking AIDS article on the case, a 2002 phylogenetic analysis that was probably commissioned as evidence in a trial that never happened because Williams pled guilty, and a bizarre 2010 psychiatric report clearly intended to keep him confined as a dangerous sex offender. (Note: “Rape 2” is commonly known as statutory rape, that is, having sexual relations with a minor, even if consensual and even if the perpetrator is almost as young as the alleged victims.)
ADDENDUM, May 24, 2013 (Elizabeth): A particularly enlightening document is the New York state attorney general’s April 13 update on the 2007 “Civil Management for Sex Offenders” law. Skip to the good part, pages 23-24 of the report (25-26 of the PDF), for examples of what real sex offenders are like — carrying little girls off to the woods, hitting an ex-wife in the face with a hammer, and one person with a record going back to 1976. Then consider that the attorney general’s wish to expand the definition of what it means to be a sex offender to a person like Williams, who has not been accused of having anything but consensual sex.
TRIAL UPDATE, May 24, 2013 (Elizabeth): Two newspaper articles have appeared, reporting what we also revealed in this Podcast, namely, that no credible evidence exists that Williams is, or ever was, “HIV positive.” See this WKRZ-TV report and this Buffalo News article. May 30: Further media coverage has been posted at the bottom of a useful “Timeline” on the case by the Office of Medical and Scientific Justice.
Although this historic trial is to be closed to the public, interested parties may wish to appear in Mayville, New York (one hour south of Buffalo) to show their support. The trial is currently expected to take 10 days to two weeks after jury selection on June 13-14, with the trial itself likely convening the following Monday, June 18. Contact us through info@howpositiveareyou.com for details and any schedule changes, and watch this space for brief announcements.