PARIS, TX TRUE CRIME Jan 1989: HIV MAN TRIES TO BITE NURSES

HIV Criminalization: The Jeffrey Copeland Case The 1989 case of Jeffrey Copeland, an HIV-positive man charged with attempted murder in Paris, Texas, after threatening to bite medical personnel. This incident highlights the criminalization of HIV exposure during the late 1980s and early 1990s, where intent to harm was prioritized over actual transmission risk. Despite medical evidence indicating saliva does not transmit HIV, courts often upheld convictions in similar cases, including Copeland's, who served time in prison. His case exemplifies the legal system's approach to such threats at the time, focusing on perceived intent rather than scientific fact. Copeland died in April 2005.