Jury selection begins today in the long-awaited trial of an Ontario, Canada man accused of fatally infecting two of his sexual partners with the virus that causes AIDS.Johnson Aziga, 52, is the first person in Canada to be prosecuted for murder in an HIV infection case for allegedly having unprotected sex without disclosing his health status to partners.
He faces two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of two Toronto women who died in 2003 and 2004 of complications from HIV. Aziga is also charged with 11 counts of aggravated sexual assault for allegedly endangering the lives of 11 female sexual partners.
The trial, which is scheduled to run six to eight weeks in Hamilton, will include more than 40 witnesses for the government, including doctors specializing in HIV, public health officials, forensic analysts, and alleged victims.
A first-degree murder conviction would trigger an automatic life sentence with a minimum of 25 years behind bars. A conviction on a count of aggravated sexual assault carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.
Jury selection is expected to take several days. Opening arguments are scheduled to begin Oct. 20. Courtesy Calgary Herald.
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