The trial is beginning for the Kent County man accused of having sex with another man without disclosing his HIV status.
Prosecutors said Monday that Jeremy Merithew was not offered a plea deal in this case.
“There`s no plea offer that`s been extended your honor,” said Gerry Faber, Kent County Prosecuting Attorney.
Now a jury will have to decide whether or not he broke the law in not disclosing his HIV status to his partner.
Merithew sat quietly as he watched the jury members file in.
He’s accused of having consensual sex with a man in August of 2012 after meeting him on the gay dating website Adam4Adam.com.
Prosecutors said he went looking for sexual relations without telling that partner purposely that he was HIV positive.
For that he faces two counts of not disclosing his status and a third for using a computer to commit a crime.
Merithew had been out on bond prior to trial until FOX 17 discovered that it looked like he had created a profile online once again on Adam4Adam.com that appeared to solicit sex.
The activity was a violation of his parole, which restricted him from trying to meet people online for sex.
When the judge was alerted to this fact by law enforcement, he raised Merithew’s bond and he was taken into custody again where he remained, awaiting his trial.
The judge asked jurors Monday if they could be impartial while listening to evidence involving homosexuality and the fact that the man Merithew slept with was married.
At least one juror was dismissed because he said he couldn’t be impartial.
Jury selection wrapped up Monday afternoon.
