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A Pheonix rises from the ashes

Skeptic Ginger

Nasty Woman
Skeptic Ginger
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Feb 14, 2005
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Injected with HIV by dad as baby, teen inspires.

Amid the stories of hate like the Tillman murder, here was this story of triumph over tragedy.

Brryan Jackson has been left out of birthday party invitations and asked not to use water fountains. His daily routine at one point included 23 pills, three IV medications and two injections. But the toughest part of growing up with AIDS for him may be knowing how he got it.

When he was a baby, his father entered his hospital room and injected a syringe of HIV-tainted blood into his tiny body. At times during his childhood, he was expected to die.

Now 18, he'll put on his black cap and gown Saturday and graduate from Francis Howell North High School in St. Charles, near St. Louis. Shielded from the public for much of his life since his father's high-profile criminal trial a decade ago, Brryan is now an outspoken advocate for people with AIDS, and the power of faith and forgiveness.
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Brryan has started a nonprofit called Hope Is Vital. He will work this summer with Project Kindle, a Valencia, Calif.-based organization that sponsors summer camps for children affected by the disease. He also serves as a speaker with that group and a St. Peters, Mo.-based ministry, Upward Bound Ministries.

Project Kindle's founder, Eva Payne, said when Brryan first started attending Camp Kindle seven years ago, he was shy and frequently cried.

"Every year, he was a little more confident," she said. And when another girl broke down a few years ago, because she was having trouble talking about being HIV-positive, Brryan offered his support.

"He said he can be her voice, until she's ready," Payne recalled.
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Here's the Project Kindle web page.

The Hope Is Vital seems to be multiple sources rather than a single site. There's a blog by that name but it isn't Brryan's.
 
Damien Evans said:
His dad injected him with HIV?

I hope the sick bastard got life.
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He did, according to the article. But he's eligible for parole in 2011.

I'd like to be inspired by Brryan's story. Maybe I will be later. Right now, I'm just ill thinking about what sort of a person would intentionally inject another human with HIV tainted blood. BUT YOUR OWN CHILD!!!???
 
He sounds like a fine young man, but it's Phoenix, not Pheonix.
 
Brainster said:
He sounds like a fine young man, but it's Phoenix, not Pheonix.
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Indeed.

Mark Crislip MD, skeptical podcaster on matters medical, said last year he has not lost a patient to HIV yet this century. As his specialty is infectious diseases, that's remarkable.

I am hoping that progress towards HIV eradication keeps being made and this kid outlives his disgusting parent.
 
Foolmewunz said:
He did, according to the article. But he's eligible for parole in 2011.

I'd like to be inspired by Brryan's story. Maybe I will be later. Right now, I'm just ill thinking about what sort of a person would intentionally inject another human with HIV tainted blood. BUT YOUR OWN CHILD!!!???
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It was incredibly upsetting especially when it happened. My son is only 2 years older, so he was close to the same age as this boy when it first happened. My son's dad abandoned him and this story made me feel a special hatred for men who feel no responsibility for their children. (Not all men, obviously, so this is not some general condemnation of men or anything like that.)

What made me post the story now was the incredible news the kid is graduating from high school. I wish I could shake his hand. I'd like to give his mother a hug.
 
I would hope the parole board is as disgusted as most people would be by this father's actions and not think the guy should get out anytime soon. But you never know. The attorneys could argue the original sentence was for anticipated murder while the fact the kid is alive should change the sentence to one for assault. Let's hope not.
 
BenBurch said:
If the kid ever dies, even if he dies in 30 years, if the cause can be laid to HIV, the father can get tried for murder, and that is not double jeopardy.
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TragicMonkey said:
Isn't there a "year and a day" rule about that?
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BenBurch said:
Nope.

No statute of limitations on murder whatsoever.
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It's not about double jeopardy, and it's not about a statute of limitations. The old common law rule, still in force in some jurisdictions, is that, in order for the defendant to be guilty of murder, the victim's death must occur within a year and a day of the defendant's homicidal act.

Unfortunately, this is still the law in Missouri. Larson v. State, Mo. 1969; State v. Zerban, Mo. Ct. App. 1981.

So sadly, yes, he may not be prosecuted for the murder of his son, even if his son dies of AIDS he gave him.
 
Wow, what kind of monster would infect his own infant with HIV tainted blood? I mean... wow... sickening.
 
Whiplash said:
Wow, what kind of monster would infect his own infant with HIV tainted blood? I mean... wow... sickening.
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What kind of monster would infect ANY child with HIV?

Some men rationalize that a pregnancy resulting from their actions has nothing to do with their responsibility. From there I guess this was a man who thought his own personal inconvenience of child support was more important than the life of the child.
 
I agree, any child would be sickening. I just thought it was even worse since it was his own child.
 
Whiplash said:
I agree, any child would be sickening. I just thought it was even worse since it was his own child.
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Agreed - doing it to any child would be sickening. Doing it to your own child is just incomprehensible to me. This is the kind of crap you get in emails and learn that it's an Urban Legend; only it's true.
 
Puppycow said:
But it wouldn't be retroactively effective. (Bill of attainder)

It could only apply to a future similar crime.
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It's still worth doing, though..... although I would really hope it wouldn't be needed for a second instance of this horrific crime.
 
Puppycow said:
But it wouldn't be retroactively effective. (Bill of attainder)
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Not a bill of attainder. A bill of attainder is where Congress passes a law that says "Whereas Brian Stewart is guilty of murder, Brian Stewart is to be imprisoned for life," or the like. You're thinking of an ex post facto law, which is also unconstitutional.

It could only apply to a future similar crime.
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Yes. But, in Tennessee, where the rule was abrogated judicially, the abrogation was applied retroactively, and the Supreme Court held, 5-4, that such retroactive judicial abrogation did not violate the U.S. Constitution. Rogers v. Tennessee, 2001.

So - if the Missouri Supreme Court wants to change the law, they can, and they can even apply it to this creep. But if the Missouri legislature does so, it would have to apply prospectively only (i.e. to murders committed after the law passes).

ETA: That's assuming it gets to the Missouri Supreme Court - they can't just change the law if they don't have a case in front of them, of course.
 
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