The trial of Craig Lamar Davis, 43, in Clayton County, Georgia, concluded testimony and closing arguments on Friday, January 17. The jury will continue their deliberations on Tuesday, January 21, with a verdict expected soon after. Judge Geronda V. Carter issued a gag order early in the trial, preventing a detailed account of the proceedings other than what’s been reported in the press. (See below for links to media coverage.) 

Accused of knowingly exposing two women to HIV, Davis faces two counts of reckless transmission of HIV, a felony in Georgia that could put him in prison for up to 20 years. His defense hinges on testimony by experts brought in by the Office of Scientific and Medical Justice, a non-profit investigative agency, who argued that it can’t be proven conclusively that Davis was even infected with the virus.  OMSJ associate Rodney Richards, Ph.D., the former senior Amgen chemist who designed the HIV test and holds its patent, testified Thursday that there are currently no definitive tests on the market today that can determine if someone has HIV. Instead, the tests look for various proteins that are assumed to be HIV. 

The Atlanta Journal Constitution cited testimony by OMSJ associate Dr. Nancy Banks that “The current test is an antibody test… They don’t know where those antibodies come from.  They’ve never been able to isolate the virus from the protein.” 

Davis’ defense team presented evidence that provided an alternative explanation for Davis alleged HIV “positive” status. Banks and OMSJ expert, David Rasnick PhD, a pharmaceutical chemist from Oakland, Calif., testified Friday that Davis’ past crack cocaine use could have caused him to be wrongly diagnosed with HIV as drug use can suppress the immune system “and produce symptoms that mimic the HIV virus,” the AJC reported. 

A film crew from Spain taped the trial as part of a feature length documentary about the case.   Founded by investigator and retired LAPD officer Clark Baker, OMSJ provides medical, scientific, legal and investigative support to the victims of unapproved and unreliable medical and scientific practices.  Of the more than 50 cases completed since 2009, all but three have resulted in favorable plea agreements, acquittal or the withdrawal of all HIV-related charges. 

Press Coverage

• TV interview with defendant Craig Lamar Davis
• Experts fault test for HIV (Page B3, 18 Jan 2014, AJC)
• Clayton – Trial of Man Accused of Exposing Women to HIV
• Woman testifies she trusted man with HIV
• Accused Man Testifies that He has the HIV Virus
• CBS Atlanta  Prosecutor: “Craig Lamar Davis Carries Deadly Weapon”
• WSB TV Jury Selection Resumes – Man Accused of Knowingly Spreading HIV
• WSB TV Testimony Underway in Trial of Man Accused of Spreading HIV
• 11 Alive News HIV Trial Underway in Clayton County
• OTB Scientific Research Is Unreliable, Unreliable Scientists Report

Tags: attorney, Baron Coleman, Clark Baker, Craig Lamar Davis, criminal, HIV, John Turner

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 19th, 2014 at 7:14 pm and is filed under Criminal Cases, Disease, HIV Innocence Group, HIV-AIDS, HIV/AIDS, Human Rights, Incompetence, Investigations, Issues, Junk Science, Law, legal, Medical, OMSJ, Pharmaceutical, Press Release, Public Policy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.