Culture

Peter Watts: Canadian Sci-Fi Author Beaten, Jailed at US Border

by Blaine Metzgar | December 11, 2009 at 08:24 pm

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Peter Watts, the renown Canadian science fiction author, was allegedly, "without provocation," beaten and jailed at the U.S. - Canadian border in Michigan. According to Boingboing.com, where Watts has been known to contribute, the author behind the Rifters Trilogy was, according to the Watts himself, "punched in the face, pepper-sprayed, shit-kicked, handcuffed, thrown wet and half-naked into a holding cell for three fucking hours, thrown into an even colder jail cell overnight, arraigned, and charged with assaulting a federal officer, all without access to legal representation" on Tuesday, December 8.

Watts now faces a felony charge for “assaulting a federal officer,” with Watts and his passenger in the car saying that he's completely innocent. The real tragedy here is that Watts could be left in financial ruin from the cost of legal fees, yet he is determined to fight the charges.

In order to cover Watts' legal fees friends, fans, and fellow authors have banded together, even setting up a donation website, to allow the author to defend himself in court. A felony charge for “assaulting a federal officer" could earn Watts up to two years prison-sentence in the U.S. if found guilty.

Watts was apparently helping a friend move to Nebraska when he was stopped at the border crossing in Port Huron, Michigan.

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Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 03:09 on December 12th, 2009

This incident may be troubling, if it occurred as reported here. I suspect there is another side to this story though. It would be good to get the the other side.

J2B (not verified)

at 03:45 on December 12th, 2009

This is a true and correct story ACP there is no other side to this story except wrong doing by border guards for the wrongful arrest and beating of Dr. Peter Watts. It's the border guards who should be facing charges, not Dr. Peter Watts. When authority, which ever element of it, wants to search us, we also have a right to ask why.