Will "AIDS jab" nurse's lenient sentence cause more people to commit similar crimes?

According to Legal experts, the nurse who injected her stepchild with blood contaminated with the HI-virus because she was jealous might have gotten away with an extremely lenient sentence. She was sentenced to a five-year jail term or a R10 000 fine.

In my opinion her crime should be compared to someone torturing another for however long the child will suffer from AIDS related symptoms and then murder. Also it was most certainly premeditated since she acquired the blood and equipment before she injected him.

Considering the low fine, don't you think more people would now be willing to cough up R10,000 if they can potentially get rid of another person in a most barbaric way? Is this just another example of South Africa's policy of giving criminals more rights than the victims of crime?

One good thing that I can see comming from this question is that people who generally don't agree on this forum do seem to agree on the fact that this sentence was far too lenient.

Maybe, by focussing our energies on pressuring those in power about issues like this and getting results together we can somehow find a balance regarding other issues. Maybe, it's just too early in the morning and I haven't had a cup of green tea yet.

It's indicative of the lack of respect for and the distorted view of human life some people have. The thief who stole the Pierneef painting from the SABC was sentenced to 8 years in prison yet just yesterday one of South Africa's online news sources carried a story of a convicted murderer being sentenced to 5 years in prison. Commodities now have a higher value than human life.

The ruling against this nurse will set a very dangerous precedent, particularly to criminals who already view human life as valueless. In his book "The Number", Johnny Steinberg recounts how some criminals prefer remaining in prison and would actually commit violent crimes so that they can be re-sentenced, knowing that they'll never receive the death penalty. Unless something is done, with this motivation, one can easily predict a greater increase in crime.

Thank goodness I'm not an evil minded person. How can you even consider such an evil deed? It's true that criminals have more rights than the victims. I mean, she didn't get punished at all. You cannot call a R10 000 fine or a five year jail term a punishment at all. Criminals/murderers don't get the proper punishment in South Africa. They don't get punished at all. They are living the good life and it doesn't work that way but what goes around comes around. Those bastards will all burn in hell someday.

of course its opening the door. once again it shows that you can do whatever you want in this country and because of the wonders of an overly 'democratic' society, you can get away with it.

Think about it, it is like killing someone in a very slow torturing way. I wanted her to sit in jail because she is still commiting the murder. She has already done the deed, but the 3 month old baby is dying as we speak!!!

I wish it was old days where we could hang the witch!!!!

But guys,

You don't get Aids from HIV - how can it be construed as murder?

That's why she got off so lightly.

it all starts at the top - always

HIV and aids are both horrible fates, granted. However, this disease serves as a warning for everyone to abstain from unsafe sex. Without opening "pandora's box" in this question with regards to aids- orphans and children born with the disease, let me just say that an act such as this toward a baby is in my opinion nothing but slow murder, and should have been punished with nothing less than the death penalty! What could possibly drive someone so far as to TAKE THE TIME to infect a baby with contaminated blood, and more importantly, what the fukc was the judge thinking when he ruled!!??

I've heard a rumour, nothing I can confirm, that people are going around in Jozi and CT and stabbing victims with HIV blood infected needles.
I hope it is just rumours?

I really think it will encourage people who have enemies to do like wise. I was appalled by the fine. How can you even put a price on the life of a 6 year old??? The judge really disgusts me. He also knows very well that if she is convicted of attempted murder now; if the child dies at a later stage, the law won't permit that she be tried for the same crime twice (the second time being murder)--that would be double joepardy. I do wish sometimes that we could take these matters into our own hands as the public. But then again, that would just go out of control.
What has this world come to?

I think that the government is sending out the wrong message about aids
The government make is sounds like it is only a illness that will disappear when you use the witch doctor's remedies, they dont portray the really issue regarding aids and how it effects everyone
I think that people in Africa dont really understands what aids is about
The government should start to education the people and not by saying were a condom but by educating the people about morals and value and self respect that is the only way how they aids epidemic will come into control because currently the government is sending out the message that it is ok to sleep with multiple partners as long as you were a condom this is wrong.