July 9, 2019 - HIV Plus Magazine
By David Artavia
After being unjustly sentenced to 30 years for HIV "exposure," Michael Johnson walked out of prison a free man today — five years early.
In 2015, Michael Johnson (known online as "Tiger Mandingo") was convicted for one felony charge of "knowingly" transmitting HIV to one man, and four charges of exposing four other men to the virus who didn't contract it.
This week, Johnson was set free after serving five years in prison — thanks to a prior plea deal.
"I feel great," Johnson told BuzzFeed reporter Steven W. Thrasher as he left Boonville Correctional Center. "Leaving prison is such a great feeling." who's been covering the story for six years.
He added, "It's good I had the support of everyone who wrote me letters. There are times when you get down, and it helps that people knew why I was fighting the system." Continue reading…
