HIV rape suspect set free by mistake

Akron man carrying virus accused of sexual assault mistakenly let out of jail

Feb. 24, 2004
Akron Beacon Journal

An HIV-infected Akron man accused of raping a man and beating another was mistakenly released from the Summit County Jail almost two weeks ago.

So far, sheriff's deputies have been unable to locate Patrick C. Geiger, 35, who was allowed to leave the county jail Feb. 13 on a signature bond.

Deputies who released Geiger were apparently unaware he was supposed to be held under a $50,000 bond due to his arrest in a second case.

Geiger was charged with kidnapping and felonious assault in connection with an incident on Feb. 10 when he allegedly kidnapped a 42-year-old man from his apartment complex and assaulted him, puncturing his lungs, fracturing his ribs and bruising his torso.

He was arraigned in Akron Municipal Court on Feb. 11 on the second offense and Judge Annalisa Stubbs Williams set bond at $50,000.

The victim in the August case called Geiger's release from jail ``absolutely, utterly appalling'' and blamed it on a ``lack of professionalism'' in the county legal system.

Court records indicate that Geiger has tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

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``I don't want him out. I want him behind bars. I want him behind bars because of what happened to me. There was never anything safe, sane or consensual about what happened to me,'' the man said.

``It has been a tooth-and-nail fight through the whole thing for me to have him kept behind bars, where he belongs. It took a month and a half before they even let me sign the charges.

``And now for him to be out on bond, after there has been another victim while he was on house arrest, is absolutely, utterly appalling. I'm just completely appalled at the lack of professionalism in the legal system and the incompetence.

``This guy is extremely dangerous. He's going to kill somebody. There shouldn't be any bond.''

Click here for the entire story from the Akron Beacon Journal.

Commentary:
According to the 2003 National Crime Victimization Survey, 93% of violent crimes against innocent citizens last year were carried out without the criminal use of a firearm. 96% of rapes and 75% of robberies were committed by criminals without firearms. So why is the anti-gunners' answer to violence is to make it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to obtain firearms, or the right to bear them for self-defense?

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