Woman imprisoned for being pregnant and HIV-positive

[Friday]

In May, a federal district court in Maine sentenced a female prisoner known as Q.T. to jail for no other reason than that she was pregnant and HIV-positive.

The Honorable John A. Woodcock, Jr., District Court of Maine said of Q.T.'s sentence: "I'm going to do things a little backwards here... Ordinarily, I would give you what is called a time served sentence, and...your time in prison would effectively end today....[However] I'm inclined to keep you in jail, given your medical condition and the medical condition for your child, to prevent your child from being born HIV positive. And my inclination is to sentence you until September 15, which is a time after your due date, so that you can continue to receive the necessary medicine up to the time of your delivery. "

The court was aware that Q.T. had secured access to the care she needed at a nearby community center that provides HIV and AIDS services. She was entitled to immediate release under the sentencing guidelines. Further, the prosecutors who had charged Q.T. in the first place objected to increasing Q.T.'s sentence beyond time served.

These facts did not deter Judge Woodcock. Over the objections of both the defense and the prosecution, he sentenced Q.T. to an additional four months in jail followed by two years of supervised release. Despite the judge's insistence that his harsh sentence was "not in any way to punish her; it's the opposite," essentially the court punished Q.T. for being pregnant and HIV-positive.

When advocates, including the ACLU, got wind of the situation, they stepped in on behalf of Q.T. And on June 15, a broad-based coalition helped secure Q.T.'s release from jail on bail while she appeals her sentence. But the fight is not over, the ACLU are currently working to reverse the sentence entirely and ensure that Q.T. cannot be returned to jail simply because she is pregnant and living with HIV.

source: ACLU e-newsletter

[thinkliberty]

A control freak is attracted the government like a fly is attracted to shit.

[KBCraig]

???

Being in prison somehow magically prevents in-utero transmission of HIV from mother to child?

[K. Darien Freeheart]

Just as a note, the woman's name is Quinta Tuleh. She was released a few days later on bail when the ACLU and about 50 other organizations jumped on boards with this case.

This also happened in June 2009, not today, which makes only hearing about this today more disturbing.

[Humorrhoid]

Once injustice happened to you,
I don't know of  anybody that feels whole again.

[MTPorcupine3]

All the more outrageous when you understand that HIV has never proved to be the cause of so-called AIDS. See www.AliveAndWell.org.

[J’raxis 270145]

Being in prison somehow magically prevents in-utero transmission of HIV from mother to child?

Sounds like they were trying to force their oh-so-wonderful government health care on her, which would only be possible if she were in jail.

I've heard of desperately sick and poor people committing petty crimes to get into jail in order to get health care... I've never heard of it being done in the reverse...