US: Young Oregon man imprisoned for two years for HIV 'assault'

A 21 year-old Portland, Oregon man, diagnosed HIV-positive at 19, has been sentenced to two years in prison, three years of supervision after he is released, and evaluation as a sex offender, after pleading guilty to second-degree attempted assault and third-degree assault. He may also have to pay restitution.

The brief report on the case, from The Oregonian, states:

Michael Brandon Shaw, 21, of Portland was arrested on accusations of assault, after a woman he had sex with contracted HIV. Shaw, who was diagnosed with HIV in 2007, demanded unprotected sex from the woman, without disclosing he had the virus, according to police reports. Shaw "hated to use condoms," the reports said.

Although Oregon has no HIV-specific laws, it has used first, second and third degree assault laws to prosecute more than a dozen people for HIV exposure and/or transmission since 1992.