Convicted Sex Offender Chooses Canadian Exile Over Jail Sunday, October 22, 2006 BUFFALO, N.Y. — Jail or Canada? Malcolm Watson chose Canada. In an unusual sentence that has immigration lawyers questioning its legality, the U.S. citizen has agreed to stay out of the United States for the next three years as punishment for having sex with a 15-year-old female student. The exile starts Monday for the 35-year-old former Buffalo Seminary teacher, who was arrested in April after a mall security guard noticed him and the girl sitting in a parked car for two hours. Erie County District Attorney Frank Clark called the plea deal "a little dicey" but said the girl's family was happy with it. Under the sentence for sexual abuse imposed by Cheektowaga Town Court, Watson can enter the United States only to report to his probation officer. Watson already lives across the border in Fort Erie, Ontario, with his Canadian wife and three children. But exiling a citizen is unheard of, said Robert Kolken, a Buffalo immigration lawyer. "I don't see how a judge sitting in a criminal court in the U.S can lawfully banish a citizen as a condition of sentencing," he said. Cheektowaga Justice Thomas Kolbert could not be reached for comment. Another immigration lawyer, Robert Berger, warned that Watson could be barred from entering Canada because of his new criminal record. Even Watson's lawyer, Oscar Smukler, said he was surprised by the deal. "We did some research on the question of whether Canada might consider throwing [Watson] out, which would make him a man without a country," Smukler said. The alternative sentence? As much as a year behind bars. Link
This is a really sad example of justice being perverted. Canada isn't a punishment, it's a privilege, and why endanger another country's citizens with a convicted sex offender. I hope that he hasn't applied for a job at a school there. Banish him to Iran or somewhere unpleasant, or just lock him up, where he belongs. What is the world coming to? Is this decision being repealed or fought? or are the perps human rights more important than his victims in the past or in the future? This is so wrong for so many different reasons. naughty judge. Tony
You mean I could have chased JailBait and then come up here? Instead of doing this voluntarily? All kidding aside, since when does exile become a modern form of punishment. Dont be suprised if he has an accident up here. they do happen...
Canada? Na, send him him to Saudi Arabia. Their legal system would be more fitting for his crime. Or, we will take him here in Kansas at the beautiful, sunny Federal prison known as Ft. Leavenworth. His daily schedule would look something like this: 6:00 am wake up, get raped by inmates 7:00 am take shower, get gang raped by inmates 8:00 am lift weights, more raping by inmates 12:00 pm lunch, get raped by inmates 1:00 pm Guards beat him down for complaining of being raped, then get raped by inmates 3:00 pm rehabilitation and more raping by inmates 5:00 pm dinner, get raped by inmates 8:00 pm lights out,he will get traded by his bunk mate for a pack of smokes only to be raped again.