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UPDATE: The Los Angeles Times reported this morning that LA prosecutors planned Roman Polanski's arrest in Switzerland after learning he would be accepting a film festival award in Zurich. Prosecutors sent a provisional arrest warrant to the U.S. Justice department which presented it Swiss authorities.
News outlets report that Roman Polanski was arrested by police in Switzerland today on a 31-year-old international warrant as he arrived at the Zurich airport to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Zurich Film Festival. (The organizers expressed "great consternation and shock".) The Swiss Federal Justice Department was holding the 76-year-old Oscar-winning director in provisional detention while preparations were made to possibly extradite him to Los Angeles to face that 1978 arrest warrant following his conviction of drugging and having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old minor in the home of Jack Nicholson. Facing a prison term, Polanski fled the United States just before his sentencing. But in the ensuing time, the girl, Samantha Geimer, has publicly forgiven him, and, with Hollywood's backing, lawyers have tried over the years to get the case dismissed as recently as last year, arguing among other things that he was psychologically shattered after his wife Sharon Tate was killed by the Manson family. Also cited has been a documentary called Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired showing what Polanski's attorneys have said was “a pattern of misconduct and improper communications” among Los Angeles officials regarding the case. In Paris, where Polanski fled and now lives, the French culture minister Frederic Mitterrand said in a statement that he was “astonished” by the arrest.
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So, in other words, it’s ok that Polanski drugged and raped a 13 year old?
I cannot believe what I am hearing from people and movie stars as we call them about this man… He took the innocents of a child and raped her!! WTF is going on in this world that people would state that he has served his time and should be allowed to go free and the victim to say to let him be…How much did they pay her? Rpman Ploanski is a pig and he should serve time in the US where real men do not hurt children…
This is a waste of time. This girl already settle out of court, Polanski has not been accused of other similar crimes to consider him an offender, this should be dismissed rather than waste tax payers money on a case which nothing good could possibly come out. Why would anyone besides this girl want to see Polanski in jail?? And she doesn’t want that!
She settled a civil lawsuit. The people should want a criminal in jail. Why would anyone want him in jail? He sexually abused a child. Anyone with children would want him in prison. It has nothing to do with what that victim wants. Here, the government should protect the public from a convicted predator.
Right on. Don’t get me started with the rich and famous getting off easy every time. He did the crime, he should do the time.
Rape is rape. The Hollywood comments are sickening. He ran because he didn’t want to go to prison. Now, he is caught. Bring him back and put him in prison. Where is the misunderstanding/problem?
fantastic. now he can get his skinny midget self in jail to do the time california sentenced him too. viva the swiss. do they immigration?
Now that is an interesting headline.
About time, Now which Hollywood “citizen” will come out in defense of a child rapist.
correct me if i got my history wrong but
it’s ironic that Switzerland was a haven for those
escaping the nazis yet becomes a set up for someone
who escaped the nazis earlier in his life.
btw,
if the victim “forgives” him, i would think she will not testify
or are the prosecutors going after him with information taken at that time.
not that i’m saying what he did wasn’t wrong but it’s interesting that the same prosecuting “team”, if you will, that couldn’t convict O.J. and botched the Rodney King trial is so obsessed with this case. only in America?
He already plead guilty to one count of sexual assault. He fled before he was to be sentenced.
Actually he pled guilty to sex with a minor to avoid other charges relating to the fact that he gave her ludes as well. So he already pled guilty and fled before he went to jail.
If an eight year old forgives someone for raping her after she grows up, that does not
exonerate a person of fornicating an eight year old! And the same goes for a thirteen year old.
Whether the guy runs away for 30 years or not. That just makes him a fugitive of the law, as well as
a pedophile and rapist! He has had all this time living as free man. If justice had been served he would have been behind bars all of this time.
Good. I’m glad they got this pervert. Just because he’s a talented director, he’s supposed to be above the law. Impaired mental state over the murder of his wife? Gimme a break. Roman had a long history of boffing teenage girls. And Hollywood, once again showing its high moral values, went running to his door to do movies for him even while he was a fugitive from justice. The girl forgiving him is meaningless. She was paid off. The state is obligated to prosecute crime regarless of what the victim says. I hope he gets time in county.
Bury him next to Michael Jackson.
LOL – that’s a good one.
So when Polanski gets to LA will they make him watch all the bad awards shows he missed? Or will they sentence him to 42 months in jail and let him go in 4 hours?
“Roman Polanski Double-Crossed By Swiss”
Double-Crossed?
Isn’t it the job of the Police to arrest rapists?
Presumably, but it is of worthwhile noting that Polanski has been visiting Switzerland for many years without being arrested. In fact he owns a residence in Switzerland where he goes during the ski season. In other words why arrest him for going to Switzerland now and not all of those other times when he has gone there.
AHAHAHAHA! LOL! Obama, bringing justice to rich pedophiles as well as poor. Thank you Obama, you restore my faith in government.
What does Obama have to do with this? Nothing.
“But in the ensuing time, the girl, Samantha Geimer, has publicly forgiven him”
She also sued him for an undisclosed terms of which the settlement allegedly consisted of two amounts – one amount from Polanski for no public statement of forgiveness or an amount twice as large for a statement of forgiveness from the victim.
The Swiss didn’t “double-cross” this child ass rapist. The Swiss have recently begun to cooperate with international law enforcement (e.g., turning over account information to the IRS that will also be used to pursue those who squirreled away assets for other reasons than tax fraud like divorce, bankruptcy, etc.) It’s all a part of a new Switzerland that has begun to respect the laws of other countries.
Welcome to America, Polanski.
How much has 31 years of this cost California taxpayers at this point. I’d like to know.
J.
I agree. And we when we have that total, we bill Polanski for those costs.
-D
This is nice and all, but you know what we really want to know is where is this week’s box office report. Come on Nikki, you know we count on you and wait breathlessly for your Fri/Sat/Sun updates.
I hope they throw the book at him. Sure–this happened ages ago. Sure–the victim wants to move on with her life all these years later. Sure–maybe there were some inappropriate dealings with the lawyers (though we don’t know for sure). But none of this changes the fact that this guy drugged and raped a 13-year-old girl! There is no dispute with that. And I am continually shocked and dismayed by those in Hollywood who seek to drop this. Why? Because he’s a great filmmmaker and an Oscar winner? Because he fled the country and managed to evade capture for years? Why should this man be any different from any other lowball scum who committed such a heinous crime? Sure, he had a tough life, with his experiences in Poland and as a victim of the Manson killer. But so too have plenty of people in jail had hard-knock lives with awful things happening around them or to them when they were young.
That doesn’t change a thing. The guy committed a heinous crime, and then he fled. He should be punished to the maximum for both. I cringe looking at Harrison Ford acting like his buddy; how can you be buddies with a pedophile and rapist, how can you even look at this person without wanting to spit at him?
Enduring psychological trauma should not give a person a free pass to commit a crime. And any lawyer who is suggesting that is disgusting.
And just because a victim forgives the attacker does not mean the attacker should be allowed to escape punishment for breaking the law.
Reading this post as an outsider looking in (not in the entertainment business or a Hollywood-resident), I’m wondering if all of Hollywood regularly makes excuses for rapists like this or if this is just a single case of everyone losing their collective minds.
Either way, I’m shocked by the tone of this blog post.
There are several other people on here who are not making excuses for him & feel he should be tried. Hollywood is not a thing with one viewpoint; it’s an industry made up of thousands of individuals who I’m sure all have differing opinions on this subject.
Anyone who supports this guy needs to get some sense.
He ruffeed and raped a 13 year old. End of story. He would have done 5 years in jail and it would have been over. But, because people placate him and he’s a coward–he’s run forever–and thinks that just because it’s been awhile…I paid her off..these crimes don’t count.
He’s run for awhile….and he looks dapper, distinguished, and everyone has forgiven him right???
Sorry, to upset your current marriage and personal life..and your lifetime achievement….you shouldn’t have done the deed and spent 30 years avoiding this day. To quote Alec Baldwin–”your a thoughtless little pig”. Period. A coward and a spoiled sissy.
Lifetime Achievent Award, Ha, what a loser!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Mr. Polanski and his camp want to have his guilty verdict set aside, he should have come back to the US and gone through the proper channels instead of having his surrogates in Hollywood treat the legal process as if it were some kind of campaign by making biased movies about his case.
I’m sure the Tate murder was awful for him, but it’s no excuse for what he did. As far as all these people campaigning for the case to be dropped – too bad. That’s not the way the law works. This case doesn’t interest me either way, but there have been some in the news I’ve given thought to. The reality is the law doesn’t care if we like an outcome or if we don’t agree with it, the law just is.
Bravo. Enough of these pervy old men. Talented filmmakers are no exception.
I’m a huge Polanski fan but I have to say that is a weak argument – him being shattered by his wife’s death, which occurred nearly 10 years before the incident. Polanski should have faced the music back in ‘78. He could have also had his case reviewed and probably overturned. The fact is that he did wrong and should have manned up to his mistake and face the consequences. Hollywood still loves its celebrities, even when they go to jail.
But this was a bitch move by the Swiss. What’s next? Are they going to rat out all these billionaires who have their money stashed in their banks? Nice going Switzerland. And I thought you were cool but you turned out to be a narc.
Q: “But this was a bitch move by the Swiss. What’s next? Are they going to rat out all these billionaires who have their money stashed in their banks?”
A: Yes. This is already in motion.
It’s a bitch move to arrest a child rapist? Why because he’s rich and managed to be a fugitive of the
law? Talk to me after your child is raped by an adult, DISGUSTING!!!!
Good. I’m glad his victim was able to forgive him and find peace, but that doesn’t mean he should go free for drugging and raping children. Go Switzerland!
Child. Not children.
Nikki, I hardly think your headline “double-crossed by the Swiss” is fair. He has for years avoided travel to countries that might extradite him, this time he screwed up, and with all the recent US/Swiss legal troubles over tax cheats, stupidly so.
Let’s not romanticize what he did: Polanski pleaded guilty and went on the run, that in and of itself is a crime the rest of us without rich Hollywood friends, would not get away with, before we even get to the raping of a 13 year-old girl (legally unable to give consent to a 44 year old man). The Tate excuse is a nice theory but I’m sure there are plenty of men whose wives have been unfortunately murdered and don’t decide to rape 13 year old girls five years after the fact.
Personally I suspect the rest of his life will be spent behind bars, and deservedly so.
What deal with the devil have the Swiss made? Anyone who knows this case knows that the publicity seeking, ego maniacal, judge (who was also known as an incompetent boob) acted improperly, lied and then reneged on a legal agreement (if someone had done that with him, he would have thrown the book at the them). The girl involved in the case (now a woman in her forties) has forever maintained that the press coverage is far more embarrassing than the incident itself and has always wanted the case quietly dismissed against Polanski. But since the Christian Taliban have effectively taken the bulk of the US courts, perceived morals transgressions (even cases over thirty years old) demand that the “evil ones” be burned at the stake, or the next best thing that is allowable under the law.
Anyone who’s paid attention to the idiocy and nonsense in the US the past number of years is not too surprised by these hysterical witch hunts (though this case makes even the most cynical critic drop his jaw in disbelief) but for the comparatively free and level-headed Swiss to be aiding and abetting in this absurd idiocy makes one wonder what ugly backdoor deal the Swiss authorities have made and for what reason. Perhaps it has something to do with the demand from the current US administration for the Swiss government to release confidential bank information on private customers, a violation even the Swiss government doesn’t demand of its banks. The excuse that the US is looking for “tax evaders” rings quite false, unless the authorities view not getting their payoffs as the gravest of crimes, considering criminals of all ilk have forever used off shore banking to hide the most heinously obtained funds. Regardless of the “justification” it’s just more of the US’ empire building.
Where are all the previous administration’s critics? I was no fan of the war mongering and other crimes committed then and have seen no reason to suddenly view the new administration’s continuation and expansion of those same crimes as suddenly okay. Partisanship is such an obscene joke, the gullible public falls for the ruse while the criminal empire continues to expand.
Well said zflynn. This feels as if it is a smokescreen for the big picture behind the scenes. The Swiss are always neutral even in wartime. But follow the money. And if there is a trail leading to big money finding its way to Switzerland and that trail is getting hot what a great diversion to have this Polanski thing as a juicy diversion. I’d look deeper into the 6 degrees of separation of Phil Gramm, Glass Steagall repeal, UBS Investment Bank, Vice President, Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000, Enron… all linking back to mega-bucks moved to Switzerland… whats really happening behind those scenes? Yes, I’ve been reading Engdahl but now he’s starting to make sense. I can just see Eric Holder smacking his lips over this one. Imagine the kudos… Also what a great cover and a great time to slip by an un-popular health care plan. Whoops… 1/6th of the economy just got spent and we were watching the replay of a 31 year old case.
He drugged and raped a 13 year old child. Please keep that in mind while you keep on your apologist propoganda.
@zflynn:
“Anyone who knows this case knows that the publicity seeking, ego maniacal, judge (who was also known as an incompetent boob) acted improperly, lied and then reneged on a legal agreement (if someone had done that with him, he would have thrown the book at the them).”
That’s not “known” at all. It’s all rumor and hearsay, not provable fact. Or rather, it would have been provable fact in a court of law if Polanski had stayed in the country and appealed. Instead, he ran. Now the judge in question is dead, which makes proving any allegations of judicial malfeasance a LOT harder.
“The girl involved in the case (now a woman in her forties) has forever maintained that the press coverage is far more embarrassing than the incident itself and has always wanted the case quietly dismissed against Polanski.”
Too bad. Because what Polanski did–and don’t forget, he CONFESSED that he drugged and raped a 13-year old girl–was a felony, a crime against the state.
That’s why it’s called The STATE vs. Roman Polanski, to ensure that the wishes of a rape victim not thinking clearly because of the stress/trauma brought on by the attack, the investigation, and any ensuing media circus don’t get in the way of justice being served.
Lots of woman and girls who’ve been raped “just want to put it behind” them, if it means not being mocked by others, told that they’re whores, or told they must’ve done something to deserve it. Rapists count on that “just forget about it” attitude from victims to get away with more rapes.
“But since the Christian Taliban have effectively taken the bulk of the US courts, perceived morals transgressions….”
“Perceived moral transgressions?!” THE MAN DRUGGED AND RAPED A THIRTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL, AND CONFESSED TO IT IN A COURT OF LAW. According to the letter of the law, REGARDLESS OF MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES, a girl aged 13 in the state of California in 1977 is deemed TOO YOUNG TO GIVE CONSENT. Thus, the case is most certainly RAPE. NOT “perceived moral transgressions”.
Read her grand jury testimony. Go ahead:
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/polanskicover1.html
“…demand that the “evil ones” be burned at the stake, or the next best thing that is allowable under the law.”
The whole point of dragging Polanski back to the US to face up to what he’s done is not to keep the streets safe. The point is that drugging and raping a child, then leaving the country before you can be sentenced for it, is behavior our society should not — and at least in theory, does not — tolerate, no matter how wealthy or well-connected you are, no matter what your victim says about it thrity years after the fact, no matter how mature she looked at 13, no matter whether she was a virgin when you raped her or not, no matter how pushy her mother was, and no matter how many classic films you’ve made.
Nice diatribe but let’s just translate what you are saying – because there are much more hideous criminals in the world, it is a witch hunt and horribly wrong to arrest a man who drugged and raped a 13 year old girl. Is that what you really believe? Oh – and by the way – he was well known to be pursuing teenagers at the time so this wasn’t even an isolated incident. Doesn’t that make him a pedophile and a predator? But you think this is ok?>
Hell yeah, you’re 100% right.
He’s a god damn celebrity. He SHOULD be able to drug and rape little girls. And so what if he plead guilty then ran away. He’s a celebrity!!! (and maybe attached to your next film).
btw, have any kids? I got some pedophiles who’d looooovveee to come visit. I assure you they’re not Christian Taliban.
Anyone who knows the case knows that he drugged and raped and sodomized a 13 year old girl.
Anyone who knows the case knows he knew she was 13.
Anyone who knows the case knows he gave her drugs and alcohol. A 13 year old.
Anyone who knows the case knows he pled guilty, plea bargained to the lesser charge, then fled the country before sentencing.
Read the Grand Jury testimony. Read his plea agreement.
What he did would be a crime regardless of how old the victim was, but to do that to someone he knew was only 13 is beyond disgusting. How anyone can support him in this is beyond my comprehension.
Actually, it was a lifetime SENTENCE award, he just missed the fine print.
I like his films but we cannot have double standards for such a vile acts, time to pay the piper!
Criminals aren’t ‘double-crossed’ by law enforcement. They’re ‘caught’. Should he be above the law because he makes good movies? Or is that a silly question.
What a joke. Leave Polanski alone. Shouldn’t the government be working on catching Osama?
how is it double-crossing???
i can’t stand our puritanical society but we’d have already hung a non-celebrity for this crime.
if some lower-income black person had had sex with a girl and then fled the country, we wouldn’t rest until we found him. but since it’s Polanski, we let him off the hook.
i hope the case is dropped in a US Court of Law.
No we wouldn’t. If this were a non-celebrity, no one would have noticed or cared.
If Polanski wasn’t a celebrity would France have shielded him from extradition all these years? I doubt it.
I love, love, love Polanski’s films, yet that is the reason I have to do my best to remain unbiased. Yes, it’s been a long time since the alleged crimes and yes, there seem to have been many improprieties in the state’s prosecution, but he is not above the law despite his renown. And no doubt Law enforcement and state prosecutors are attracted to high profile cases like flies to you-know-what, but we as members of the film community and citizens in general must have the moral courage to view him in our hearts and minds as someone who may have committed a terrible crime, fled the country and now may finally have his day in court, as with anyone else regardless of social standing.
He did a crime. I say that he deserves whatever punishment he is to get. It doesn’t matter if the girl has forgiven him. She was 13, and that is illegal. I say it’ll be good for Polanski to get his jail-time behind him, so he can come back to the US.
Oh wow! This is going to be a freaking circus! I can already see the headlines….” Liberal Media ignores arrest of Polanski in attempt to get the French to support Obamacare, possibly ACORN connection found!”
But seriously, if he makes it back to LA, this is going to be a circus.
YOU’RE MAKING EXCUSES FOR A MAN WHO HAD SEX WITH A THIRTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL!!!!!!!! Thirteen. Double crossed? Are you kidding me? In case you don’t already know, It’s called rape. A 13 year old girl is deemed incompetent to give consent. He is a pedophile, a molester. The victim’s forgiveness has nothing to do with the crime. Nothing? Neither for that matter does his academy award. It means nothing. Check yourself lady and wake up. Your liberal bias has led you to a place where you can excuse the rape of a thirteen year old girl. Pitiful.
Child rape laws should be enforced, even if they happen to apply to people who directed overrated movies during the Nixon administration.
What is the penalty for what Polanski did in California today? Do you go to jail or is it a slap on the wrist to have sex with a thirteen year-old? Just asking.
I’m not sure she’s forgiven him. She’s said it’s painful every time it comes up, and she also accepted a settlement.
Dude drugged and raped a little kid. Probably not the only time he did it.
Man, that was a shocker!
I can’t call it. Perhaps he should just go back and sort it out properly this time.
Who knows, it might end well for him.
While I’m appreciative of the fact he mentally collapsed in the wake of Sharon’s Tate murder I will never be appreciative of any notion of letting these charges slide, even in the face of protestations from the vistim. Society is owed a debt by him and all those who fight for his release from this make themselves culpable to a pedophilic act.
That’s what is truly astonishing.
Finally, a post that isn’t defensive or triumph. I think Polanski should’ve just done the time in the ’70s just to get it over with and move on after his release.
If you’ve committed a crime, you have to do the time. Polanski isn’t exempt from this, and I’m ashamed Hollywood supported him despite this. Now while the Manson murders definitely changed him, you can’t excuse what he did five years after that.
What comes around goes around.
Good going, Swiss government. Take it nice and easy on ex-Nazis with their Swiss accounts but make sure you arrest the 76-year-old genius who has suffered the most appalling tragedies his whole life long.
So Joe, are you arguing that a prominent artist should not be held accountable for drugging and raping a 13 year old?
So, what are you saying Joe Gillis…that the man gets a pass on drugging and raping a 13 year? That’s a bit sick; don’t you think.
So your theory is if you have suffered personal tragedy like Nazi’s or Charles Manson in your life you should not have to pay society for your crimes?
Interesting.
Does this apply to abused or poverty stricken children who grow up to be criminals too or just if they get famous and rich?
Well, only if they’re WHITE, famous, and rich.
Touche.
Of course the French, and all liberals, are “astonished” at the idea of punishing a criminal.
I don’t get the politicizing of this issue. This is not a liberal vs. conservative issue, but I guess any chance some of you get to bash “all liberals” is too tempting for you to ignore. I’m pretty liberal and I think the guy should go to trial, just like anyone else accused of this crime. Some liberals will agree with me and some will not– which is pretty evident by the various viewpoints presented in this comment section (although I’m guessing you’re more of the type who likes to give your views without caring to read what other people have to say). It’s fine to read a well thought out conservative viewpoint on here, but yours and the posts like it are completely ignorant.
It about damn time someone had the balls to nab this sicko coward. You know, Nikki, for all your cries of neo-feminism I am astonished you feel sympathy for this spineless rapist/child molester.
He has had decades to work on clearing this up, he didn’t. Had he taken the appropriate actions during Clinton’s presidency I would imagine Mr. Polanski could have finagled a pardon out of Bill when the latter was tossing them around at the end of his 2nd term.
I guess Mr. Polanski had decided that it wasn’t important enough to deal with. Bad call, it appears.
He was “double crossed”? What goes around comes around, right? (Or am I phrasing that backwards…meh, who cares…)
I guess maybe he shouldn’t have RAPED someone…he could have steered clear of this whole mess. And yes, I know that the victim has forgiven him and it was a long time ago. I’m just saying…you or I wouldn’t be let off the hook for this after 30 years, so why should he?
Okay, but wait — he still drugged and had anal sex with a 13-year-old girl, right? We’re not forgetting that part? Even though we like some of his films? Ok, good.
One of the strangest things about this arrest is that Polanski actually has a home in Switzerland where he spends several months of each year.
Seriously…you guys are defending a child rapist? Seriously? He drugged, raped, and sodomized a 13-year old girl. He got her drunk, knocked her out with drugs, and then had sex with her. And she was thirteen.
And not only did he do this, he used his position of trust as an artist to gain access to her. Which makes all the industry support and Academy Awards standing ovations even more sickening.
The feel-good story of the day.
Hopefully, he’ll spend the rest of his life behind bars, where the other inmates will ply him with drugs and alcohol and then force him to be their bitch.
Or is it only OK when he drugs and rapes, but not if it happens to him?
Hollywood morality: Don’t applaud Kazan, but support Polanski.
No one should be raped. No one. Not even criminals.
You’re no better than he is by calling for that.
That’s the point – if it would be wrong to happen to him, it was wrong for him to do it.
Nikki and the rest of the Hollywood apologists (Harvey, come on down!) are morally bankrupt.
And it’s worth noting that his type of behavior; drugging and raping is not often an isolated case. Sure, the known victim has forgiven him, but what of any other possible victims? You don’t accidentally feed a 13-year old girl hard drugs. There is planning and forethought in that. It’s a sign of a self indulgent, solipsistic worldview…a type of mental state that doesn’t go away just because he got caught.
I would love to know what Nastassia Kinski thinks of all of this.
Double Crossed?!
So Nikki will devote an entire article on why she thinks Bride Wars is an egregious form of woman bashing, but she has the nerve to title an article, “Double Crossed” for a man who anally raped a 13 year old girl.
Idiot.
Well said. You articulated my dissappointment exactly.
What he did was horrible and atrocious. Nikki didn’t directly compare what he did to Bride Wars. She simply thought that Bride Wars was a horrible movie. That it really did make women look bad. It did. The situations are totally different matters on totally different planes.
What he did sucked in a big real way. Criminal. Disgusting. On a movie plane…and I am a BIG supporter of the chick flick here…Bride Wars was really really really bad.
‘S’ is unfortunately right.
That’s it in a nutshell. And no talent or background, upbringing etc is an excuse for what he did to that 13 year old girl. He even spoke to her mother during her stay at the house to assure her she was fine.
He should’ve dealt with this in the ’70s (after serving that three month sentence which got commuted). I remember this happened while he was on preproduction on Dino De Laurentis’ HURRICANE (a movie he was forced to abandon when he fled the US).
I’m less shocked that he was arrested than by the fact that people still consider him a “Genius” after his Oliver Twist remake.
I hope he gets everything coming to him the sick molesting bastard. Tell that to all the victims who were sexually abused and their predators still walk the streets. It doesn’t matter if it is 30 years later.
Enough with the victim forgave him nonsense. That’s pablum crap that assuages the conscience of people who identify with Polanski. Is she supposed to walk around angry her whole life and be a perpetual victim. Or continue to displease everyone as there has always been heavy pressure to let him off.
Does Roman Polanski have daughters?
Before excusing Polanski’s behavior, read the girl’s grand jury testimony from 1977.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/polanskicover1.html
Wow, I must say that like most I’m a little horrified at the “poor victim Polanski” tone of this entry. I do hope it’s unintentional. Sometimes things can sound one way to the author and read an entirely different way to the audience. I can’t imagine Ms. Finke actually thinks that Mr. Polanski has gotten anything more than what’s coming to him.
That said, this case is the perfect example of the problem of corruption in the justice system. Legally speaking, Polanski’s plea bargain should be kept–the prosecutors and judge made a deal and the law should honor it. They never should have made it to begin with, and they never should have reneged. Morally, the man should have spent the rest of his life in prison. Legally, I think he has a pretty clear out.
The more important point, I think, is that is a symptom of a broader problem: Can you imagine how many poor people in this country are offered plea bargains over charges for crimes they didn’t even commit, but are financially unable to defend… and are then betrayed?
He very publicly slapped the american criminal justice system in the face by fleeing the country you think for two seconds they’re going to say ‘oh well, that was thirty years ago…let’s let bygones be bygones’.
He’s spent those last thirty years sitting in France, sneering unrepentantly at us as a ‘prudish’ and ‘puritanical’ society. Incidentally, I am quite comfortable living in a country which considers it criminal and immoral to screw a thirteen year old in the ass.
His films are impressive, but his character is not, and I’d rather society not get into the habit of trading artistic contributions for get-out-of-jail free cards.
As for his tormented past, I wouldn’t wish any of those events on my worst enemy but one’s own trauma doesn’t license a person to traumatize someone else. Perhaps they contributed to some pretty shoddy decision making, but I don’t think they can be blamed for his choice to take no responsibility whatsoever for the last three decades.
To expect absolution for something you’ve never deigned to express remorse for is ludicrous…Chinatown or no Chinatown.
Really bad choice of headline, Nikki. He’s been hiding from true justice for his vile act for decades. It’s not a double cross to catch a criminal. I only hope there’s no way he makes bail, and gets to sit in our cheery L.A. lockup until it gets to trial.
@Joe Gillis
4 hours for the first Nazi/Hitler comment to appear. Kinda a slow day for Godwin’s Law.
Nikki — Your headline makes him sound like a victim. Let’s not forget he raped a child.
well done switzerland! well done swiss police!
Drugged and sodomized a 13 year old and plead guilty. Enough said. He can try and direct fantastic films by mail and email from a jail cell. Those who say how much money has this cost the city and state and feds, some things are worth spending. This guy is a sick man.
This is not about a child-rape case where the perpetrator is not the only one responsible (though responsible he was and spent three months in prison in fear of his life – surely not enough but way more than similar tinseltown perpetrators have endured) This is about an inept justice system looking to resolve an infamously well documented case in a manner that evens out the recently dug-up official litany of embarrassments. Deep down this is a typical Hollywood-style pissing match between a deeply flawed individual and an equally flawed justice system. I don’t see any sides one can take with all due conscience, and those who do are, at minimum, misguided zealots and, at worst, hypocrites.
Through all the hysterics, a few simple facts seem to get lost: Polanski committed a crime, admitted guilt to a charge, served time at Chino as prescribed by the judge and as agreed to by both sides. The judge was a wacko, a total media slave and it doesn’t take much research or any favoritism to confirm this. The judge reneged on the sentencing deal, was intent on sending Polanski up the river, so the guy split. Who wouldn’t?
No one condones Polanski’s acts, but he didn’t flee the country because he had sex with a minor. The facts simply don’t bear this out.
What a great response from all of you to this story. I was infuriated that the Academy was okay with not only nominating him for, but awarding him an Oscar. He should have never been considered in light of his heinous crime (for which he pleaded GUILTY) and for which he was supposed to be sentenced until he became a fugitive from justice. God bless all of you for not allowing his talent, or fame to outweigh the need for justice despite his victim’s willingness to forgive him.
Give Polanski his choice – 20 years in prison, or, he has to watch a full month of the new Jay Leno show.
I am a liberal, and I am so glad that they arrested him. See, its not a liberal thing its an old Hollywood thing where people pretend that his crimes don’t count. People who were his buddies or whatever didn’t want to believe this happened, and decided to turn a blind eye and perpetuate the idea that he shouldn’t be held responsible.
In what world does that fact that a family member suffered a violent crime (murder) justify the fact that you commit a violent crime years later (rape) against a 13 years old. To override the human instinct to protect children, or at least leave them alone, it doesn’t take secondhand tragedy, it takes a pedophilic instinct. Or a sense of entitlement so great as to be sociopathic.
I hope he does time. He doesn’t deserve “time served” and he doesn’t get any excuse of a hard life. If anyone pardons him, it will be a good message that if you are facing a crime you should try running (as long as you are rich).
This case has brought out all the assholes on the Deadlinehollywood site. Give it a rest guys.
The District Attorney of Los Angeles has spent a fortune continuing to prosecute this case while thousands of rape kits sit untested due to lack of funding.
Great choice of priorities, Steve.
Double-crossed? Really? Is that what you think when a man drugs and rapes a child and is apprehended for it? That he’s been double-crossed?
Maybe it’s time to take the rose-colored “celebrity justice” glasses off. They should be replaced by the blindfold worn by Lady Justice. With that blindfold, money & fame wouldn’t buy “justice” and Henry Louis Gates wouldn’t have been arrested while doing absolutely nothing wrong in his own home.
Team Swiss.
I used to have the same opinions as most of these comments until I saw the doc, “Roman Polanski: Wanted & Desired.”
Polanski actually pleaded guilty and the judge presiding turned out to be one lying, media-whoring, scum-bag in his own right.
I don’t think anyone is saying Polanski’s behavior was reprehensible, but there is also no doubt that he was not going to get a fair trial (even after the accepted plea-bargain)…which, even rich, hollywood types are allowed.
I agree that the victim’s forgiveness is not the main issue, but she wanted this plea to be accepted so she could avoid the more traumatic experience of the circus that followed (her words, not mine).
Don’t take my word for it, take the police and even the DA who prosecuted the case for it. Polanski was prepared to pay his debt to society and the judge put his own personal agenda ahead of the criminal justice system (for all those comments that seem so concerned with that concept).
Ah, the movie that downplays his actions, you know what he actually did to deserve the legal action in the first place? He was scared of what the judge might have done, but we’ll never know because he ran away. It’s not that hard not to drug 13 year old girls and rape them. It really isn’t. How anyone can condone what he did is beyond me.
Let’s hope they get this pedophile stateside and once in prison they put him in general population.
His arrogance continues his crime as the victim, who allegedly has found the strength to forgive him, is dragged through the international news again and again.
If Polanski had an ounce of compassion or remorse he would have done his time years ago if only to save his victim from reliving his attack publically every time the subject of his fugitive lifestyle is mentioned in print.
He is disgusting. At 43 he raped a 7th grader. How can anyone speak in his defense?
Again, the Drudge loons are commenting today!
If you had seen the HBO documentary “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired ” as I have, you would know that Polanski had a deal that was accepted by both the victim & the LA County DA, went to prison for 42 days, was released, but then the insane judge, having been told by a different deputy DA that he was wrong reversed the deal & ordered Polanski’s rearrest & thrown into prison again.
Polanski wisely fled the country.
And if you to an earlier thread of Nikki’s, you can read the letter from the original Prosecutor, Roger Gunson who totally agrees with Polanski’s lawyers that Judge Rittenband screwed over Polanski in the original case & for some insane reason the LA County DA’s office continues to try to uphold the illegal behavior of Judge Rittenband.
http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/exclusive-polanski-prosecutor-and-defense-attorney-charge-la-superior-court-made-false-and-reprehensible-statement/
Watch the documentary folks instead of just going to the old cliche knee jerk emotional bellows of “child rapist”!!! Mr. Polanski DID take responsibility for his crime and DID deal with it through the courts and our justice system. He admitted his crime to the court, he went to prison for a 42 day court ordered psych evaluation. He did everything he was asked to do by the judge to deal with the consequences of his obviously criminal behavior, and his lawyers worked out a plea agreement with the judge and D.A. He was ready to appear in court to receive his sentence when the judge (who was a bigger nut and fame whore than Polanski) completely reneged on an already agreed upon sentence. It was only then that Mr. Polanski fled the country. Now you may still feel the same way about him, but please get your facts straight, he didn’t just have sex with a teenager and immediately jet off to France for a croissant to avoid arrest, the man dealt with the consequences of his actions for many, many months including time in state prison. It was the judge who truly “Double-Crossed” Mr. Polanski over 30 years ago. Even the deputy D.A. in the case states in the film given the circumstances he would have probably done the same thing as Mr. Polanski. The victim is over it and has moved on, so should the rest of us!
I am extremely liberal, but I find this post by you disturbing. You as a woman should be ashamed of yourself.
I’m a huge fan of yours Nikki, but you blew the headline on this and completely showed bias in Polanski’s favor.
Polanski wasn’t double-crossed by the Swiss government. He was arrested due to his own carelessness and stupidity. The Swiss government didn’t invite him and then surprise him with an arrest like some sort of mafia sting. He was invited by the Zurich Film Festival that had no knowledge of the U.S.’ communication with the Swiss officials. Polanski voluntarily traveled into Switzerland without being up to date on the current treaty agreements with the U.S. For the record, I think Polanski is incredibly talented, but the man committed a heinous crime and whether it was yesterday or 31 years ago, he deserves to be prosecuted. He ran away like like a coward instead of facing the charges and accepting his punishment. I only wish Dominick Dunne were alive to cover the trial.
No doubt the man’s had a rough life. I’m wondering if he can finally get this whole mess done and over with?
Do you think the “community” here in Los Angeles can help him out?
As for all you bible-thumpers that want to burn him at the stake, his suffering isn’t going to help yours.
WHAT Bible-thumpers? Every board I’ve been to today where Polanski’s arrest is a topic has liberals and conservatives united in their desire to see Polanski serve his time.
This is ridiculous! Leave Polanski the hell alone. The woman doesn’t even want him prosecuted and wants to leave the whole ordeal behind her. Plus, the original judge in the case went back on his word and only wanted the media limelight.
The victim forgave him after suing and getting a settlement.
He shoulda manned up back in the70’s. Probably woulda got comparitively speaking a wrist. Slap. Now with the hysteria over child porn he is confronting a much tuffer legal regime. I would speculate he figured the law would get less rather than more harsh but he gambled wrong.
“Double crossed” in the terms that Roman has been hundred times over in and out Swizerland! Now -all of a sudden – US / LA district attorneys roll up the case again. Boy somebody must have some spare time…
No matter what happend back in 1978 (!) the truth only two people know. Facts are: Samantha back then 13 years old was not a virgin anymore before she met Roman. Her mother left her alone with Roman (what mother would do that). Her motive was, she wanted her girl to be in the movies. Samantha admited of having taken drugs before. How “inocent” was she really?
Sure Roman’s sexual preferances are strange to say the least, but a 30 year old ban from the USA has not been enough punishment?? Back in 78 he was not guaranteed a fair trail, who would have not fled the country?
“How innocent was she really?”
She was a thirteen year-old child who didn’t deserve an ass-raping, you idiot.
He spent 30 years in France, not the artic. Many people dream their whole lives of living in France. Also many people cannot to afford to travel even a tiny fraction of the amount Roman has travelled in the last 30 years, or his multiple homes. So, really….
That’s like saying having to go to your room for the rest of the night is a punishment to a kid who has video games, the internet, dvds, and a phone in there. No, they can’t be in the living room, but who the hell would care!
And, he is a French citizen, so technically, he went home to Europe. Why do we need to wlecome a foreign criminal back to the USA like it is his right to live here freely without paying for his crime and after fleeing from justice.
All the pederast apologists who try to blame the victim are vile scumbags. Enablers like you Curt Riess are part of the problem. The parents were obviously degenerate wastes of air as well. All the predators and pimps outs there need to eliminated. People like Polanski are not one time offenders, and the people who allow them to perpetrate are no better.
Facts are: Samantha back then 13 years old was not a virgin anymore before she met Roman.
Way to blame the victim there douchebag… her status as a virgin or not has NOTHING to do with the fact that she was raped. As a 13 year old under California law (and most other states) she is incapable of giving consent- which if you read the grand jury testimony it makes clear – she did not. Being a prior victim of statutory rape doesn’t clear the way for any other man to take advantage of her.
The TRUTH is that Polansky pled GUILTY. He was convicted of this crime & then CHOSE to flee the country rather than face his sentence. He’s had 30 years to come back and appeal his conviction, but this would require him to man up and face the music. Noone else gets to argue their case via proxy lawyers from countries that don’t have extradition treaties… why should he get special treatment?
Being a Shoah survivor isn’t a free pass. Being psychologically damaged from the horrible murder of his wife isn’t a free pass. Finally, being talented isn’t a free pass.
The law is the law, and if he truly wishes for justice in this case the American legal system has many avenues for him to pursue any allegations of judicial discrimination or prosecutorial misconduct. Polanski has chosen not to avail himself of them. Are we supposed to feel pity that his choices have finally caught up to him? I say no.
“No matter what happend back in 1978 (!) the truth only two people know.”
We know what happened because (1) Geimer’s testimony, and (2) Polanski’s confession. He confessed to raping a 13 year old girl. We know that’s what happened, because he told the court that was the truth.
“Facts are: Samantha back then 13 years old was not a virgin anymore before she met Roman.”
So? It only counts as rape if the victim is a virgin? Way to blame the victim there.
“Her mother left her alone with Roman (what mother would do that).”
A mother who thought Polanski was a decent human being who didn’t go around raping little girls. You remember that he even called the mom to assure her that her daughter was all right, right after he raped her?
“Samantha admited of having taken drugs before.”
Again–so what? She didn’t go with Polanski to party with drugs, she went for a photo shoot. Polanski was the one who gave her drugs and alcohol.
“How ‘inocent’ was she really?”
HER INNOCENCE OR LACK THEREOF HAS ABSOLUTELY NO BEARING ON THE CASE. according to the letter of the law, REGARDLESS OF MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES, a girl aged 13 in the State of california is deemed TOO YOUNG TO GIVE CONSENT. Thus, the case is RAPE.
It doesn’t matter if Samantha Geimer was a professional street walker who’d been in and out of drug rehab since she was six years old. She went to Nicholson’s house for a photo shoot. Polanski forced himself on her. She said “no” again, and again, and AGAIN, and Polanski STILL forced himself on her.
And then–in case anyone was confused about what happened–he confessed to raping her in court.
Man, I thought blaming the victim went out with the ’70s.
“Sure Roman’s sexual preferances are strange to say the least, but a 30 year old ban from the USA has not been enough punishment??’
Oh please. Thirty years living in mansions in Europe, getting married, having kids, directing successful films–on what planet is that “enough punishment” for raping a 13 year old girl?
Polanski is a fugitive from justice from the State of California. He was convicted, and he owes them time served. If he tries to make the argument that his thirty years in “exile” should suffice as punishment, I hope they give him life in prison for contempt of court.
“Back in 78 he was not guaranteed a fair trail,”
Again, we have no hard evidence of that.
“who would have not fled the country?”
Someone with a better lawyer. If these allegations of judicial malfeasance from Polanski’s camp are as open-and-shut as they claim, then Polanski could have appealed his sentence, nailed the judge as corrupt, and walked away a free man.
Instead, he ran. Probably because he knows how child molesters get treated in prison by the other prisoners.
Curt Riess, are you SERIOUSLY questioning the behavior of a 13 year-old girl? Are you stating that because she may have taken drugs before, because she may not have been a virgin that she was, as they say, “asking for it”? Wow, dude. Wow. You got some issues. Age of consent! Age of consent! Remind me to never any underage girls in your presence.
PS – Roman was not “banned” from coming back to the States. He chose to avoid it because he would be punished for his crimes, and now as a FUGITIVE for 30 years, it’s time that he get what he deserves.
So if a lady or girl shows any signs of promiscuous tendencies then she can’t actually be raped because she’s not “innocent”?
Are you a fucking retard?
No, it hasn’t been enough punishment. He raped a little girl, who knows how many others there have been. Way to blame the victim.
How about this: HE can come back to the US, but his genitals stay in Switzerland. Better?
Yeah… not visiting the US for 30 years is punishment enough for a$$ raping and drugging a little girl. Maybe for murder, we’ll permanently ban people from Hawaii.
Curt, you’re a sick mother&$#@!.
L.A., especially Hollywood, is going to be cloudy with lots of meatballs droppin’ around here when Roman Polanski is extradited here. His personal tragedies and talent aside -and we must put them aside- I’ll be truly riveted by who in the self-appointed Hollywood intelligentsia is going to publicly defend the pedophilia and proven sexual assault of a minor by a supposed icon.I wonder who will rush to defend what truly is indefensible.
Regardless of when it happened or who Polanski’s cool and swingin’ friends were, it is insidious and illegal to do the very adult things he did to a 13-year old minor. If Roman had forgiven the Manson famiy, wouldn’t they still be under the jail where they still rightfully are. It’s the debt owed to the people as residents of the state.
For the upper echelon of our industy to glorify/dismiss the acts of a peer is easy to do when it’s not your kid or your underage self on the receiving end of adult di*k and ba*ls. Children should never have their sexuality or sanctity of their bodies taken from them by adults. End of story. Polanski’s international hopscotch has bothered me for a long time and his being detained felt like a relief. Another costly and unplanned mess for the rest of us to pay for here in L.A. when Polanski hits the tarmac but worth it. Polanski has had a much better life and opportunities than his victim ever could or will and his actions helped make that manifest. Anyone who thinks that’s chic is fucking crazy.
Hey, I sat through “Pirates” and “The Ninth Gate”…so I can use that for an excuse when I get caught for having sex with underaged girls?
Come on, they’re “double-crossing” Polanski to California, the same state that was squeamish about wasting O.J. Simpson’s time for trying him for cutting his ex-wife’s head off. “Not guilty!” Robert Blake, dead wife? “Not guilty!” Michael Jackson molested kids not once but twice? “Not guilty, not guilty!” Phil Spector, dead actress? “Well, maybe we ought to do SOMETHING sometime….”
why was a 13 year old at Jack Nicholson’s?
Haven’t read all the documents but from what I remember, he didn’t know she was underage and her mother was involved in the thing.
While I sympathize with the girl/woman,if her mother was involved in setting up the relationship she probably has more problems with that the betrayal than with the physical act.
What kind of mother lets her very underage daughter hang around with a European film maker–or any man for that matter.
In the plea transcripts, he admits to knowing she was 13 even after the judge points out that not knowing is the one defense against the charge.
I agree with those here who feel no matter what Roman Polanski’s contribution to the arts have been he DRUGGED and RAPED a girl. He then fled the country rather than own up to his actions. Polanski deserves a cell next to Phil Spector, but sadly, with all the elites coming out begging for clemency, he’ll probably end up directing “Jeepers Creepers IV.”
So I suppose you would agree to NOT bring to justice any 80+ years old Nazi’s hiding out in Switzerland? Or would that mean they were double crossed by Switzerland?
This man drugged and raped a 13 year old girl and you say he was double crossed.
I love your standards…. or should we say, lack of standards!
So drugging a child and forcing his **** into not only her ****** but also her ****** is ‘unlawful sex’?
It’s like Roman has his own Hollywood pub rep.
Do the crime, do the time, no matter how long it takes or how much money you’ve given the victim.
Oh, and I love most of his films, like that should matter.
Wow.
The LA mindset really is different from that of the rest of us.
“Here in Flyover” you are either incapable of reading or you just don’t want to take the time to do so. Most of the posts on here, a site often read and commented on by people in the entertainment industry, are condemning of Polanski. Nikki Finke writing a questionable headline (as fun as she is to read) does not reflect the opinion of everyone in hollywood, let alone the entire “LA mindset” so get off your moral high horse.
Why the controversy over the titles? You invite someone to your country to give him an award and instead you arrest him. In what universe is that not a double cross?
Joe,
Do you somehow think the police were planning to give him a lifetime achievement award, and set this whole thing up? Maybe this is hard for you to grasp, but there is more than one organization in Switzerland. If I invited you to NYC, and you got mugged when you got there would you blame me for the loss of your wallet?
He has obviously known he has had it coming, or he wouldn’t have fled, and been hiding out. Bring the coward to court, and let his peers decide his fate.
Joe, the people who invited him, the awards people, are not the ones that arrested him. So in that sense, it is not a double-cross unless the police and Swiss DA’s gave him assurances he wouldn’t be arrested. Besides trickery has always been condoned. What about those warrant issued criminals who respond to offers of prize money only to show up at a place where they are arrested.
If there is no statue of limitation on fleeing like there is no statue of limitation on murder, then it’s Polanski’s own fault for believing he could get away scot-free this time just like he did every other trip to Switzerland.
Dear Joe
It’s in our universe. The Swiss police didn’t invite him and the festival officials didn’t arrest him.
This is so sad. Just proves that nobody protects kids and that no one cares about rape victims. Just because he has an Oscar does not mean he is not frigging guilty of rape. AND OF COURSE that moronic brute of the mother. SHE should be in PRISON too! I am so angry. This is outrageous!!
None of the facts of the original case really matters now even with his large financial settlement to the victim.
Like a car chase that starts with the innocuos running of a red light the evasion of police and avoidance of penalty is now the bigger crime that must be addressed.
Should we allow him complete freedom just because he had the money and opportunity to live as a wealthy free man in another country for all these years?
Should we allow him lesser penalties for his crimes just because he is a famous well-paid creative person?
I second this.
Polanski fled the country after being convicted of a felony. The details of the case are completely secondary to that fact.
How can you say double-crossed? This man is a disgusting individual. It’s a good thing that the Swiss will extradite, and the American judge he gets will immediately sentence him. I hope it’s a long sentence in San Quentin. He did a disgusting crime, and then he’s been running for over 30 years. Adios, amigo.
I was surprise by his arrest. I knew he was on the lamb for child molesting going back to 1978 but he’d always played it smart by limiting his travel outside of France. I heard the judge in california played it smart on extradition. But when the Swiss arrested him at the airport,they obtain the information from the Swiss festival site.
Question is now will Roman Polanski be extradited to the states to stand trail?
You guys know he already served time for the crime, right? He fled because the judge at the time lied to his face (and in a legal agreement) and was going to send him back to prison in order to look “hard” on celebrities. Both his attorney and the D.A. at the time have said the judge was acting totally improperly and take Polanski’s side on this.
Then perhaps he should have stayed and appealed based on judicial misconduct. If he had, he certainly wouldn’t be in a Swiss holding cell right now.
There are many people who would argue against the way their deals or trials went down. Including innocent people who sit in jails and people who have had the book thrown at them for minor charges. Look at the disparity in drug sentencing for an example I am by no means for legalization fo drugs, but the sentences for crack versus cocaine possession are very harsh and crack is more lower income while powder cocaine is more elite, and zero tolerance laws on any drug can put people behind bars for their recreational usage, not dealing.
The difference here is it is usually a poorer person of color who finds they won’t be getting off on the lighter side of sentencing. Should everybody just be allowed to run because they don’t like how things are shaking out without having to face the consequences of running?
That’s not true. He spent time in jail for a psychiatric evaluation. He was not sentenced yet.
“Already served time”. Yep. All of 42 days for anally raping a 13 year old.
And for the record: judges are not obliged to accept joint recommendations on sentence. Certainly, if a joint recommendation is rejected it’s grounds for appeal, but two lawyers shaking hands is not a guarantee.
Let’s remember: Roman Polanski drugged and raped a 13 year old girl, then fled the country to avoid jail. That’s the story here. Nothing else.
He served something like 30 days for rape and sodomy of a child. Spare me the poor him story. The man is a monster.
As myself and some others – too few – have pointed out, exactly. It’s amazing and sad how the facts get ignored due to the inflammatory subject.
“You guys know he already served time for the crime, right?”
Wrong.
Polanksi did 42 days of a 90 day psychiatric evaluation period. He never served one day of his sentence. He skipped the country BEFORE he could be sentenced, in fact. That’s why he’s in hot water.
“He fled because the judge at the time lied to his face (and in a legal agreement) and was going to send him back to prison in order to look “hard” on celebrities.”
Polanski accepted a plea bargain and pleaded guilty to the formal felony charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Polanski stood in front of the judge and admitted what he did and that he’d known what he was doing. Polanski and his lawyer KNEW he could face prison time.
Rittenband did get in trouble for his actions at the time, and was ultimately removed from the case. But by that time Polanski had already fled, which lost him whatever legal high ground he might have obtained. That’s why, thirty year later, he’s under arrest in Switzerland. If Polanski had just sat tight, this would all have been over with decades ago.
42 days is what he served for raping a 13 yr old. On what planet does this punishment fit the crime? He should have gotten the 50 year sentence.
“Both his attorney and the D.A. at the time have said the judge was acting totally improperly and take Polanski’s side on this”
Well, Rittenband did let Polanski go to Europe to make a movie AFTER he entered his guilty plea. There are many folks who believe that was improper behavior on the judge’s part.
According to what I have read, he served 90 days for psychiatric evaluation at a hospital, but fled before he was sentenced to a criminal sentence in a state or federal prison.
He served 45 days of a 90 day psych hold in Chino.
If and when a judge disregards a plea deal between the prosecution and defense the recourse for the defendant is to move for a jury trial – NOT to flee the country.
You mean Polanski’s lawyer took his side? Naaaaaa. Who would have thunk.
btw, Polanski did plead guilty and was awaiting sentencing when he fled. Guess out running the law while wining, dining, and making films for 30 years, qualifies for a pardon. I sense a long term reality show in this.
NOT defending a child rapist here, however…
I wonder how many other thirty year old cases in LA County are being pursued with such vigor.
Doesn’t mean what he did was okay, doesn’t mean he shouldn’t have settled this and done his time ages ago, which he should have.
People like to say that just because he is famous, it doesn’t make him above the law, but do we think they would still be going after him like this if he wasn’t famous?
I don’t know how many LA County felon, rapist, murderer fugitives there are out there, but I hope they’re going after all of them like this. Something tells me they’re not.
And I think allocation of resources is an issue here…in a perfect world we could equally, vigorously go after every perpetrator of every crime. but we all know that’s not the way it works.
So I really wonder how many unsolved murder cases there are in LA County…Maybe they’ll announce a suspect in the “Black Dahlia” case next. That would sure grab headlines. And in the end, isn’t that what this is really all about?
Double-crossed? Uh, not so much.
Polanski should’ve dealt with this when he was accused rather than run away thinking the laws don’t apply to him. Yes, it was a circus when he was charged, yes, he probably would’ve done time, but he would have gotten it over with and it would not have haunted him all these years. Polanski and all his people should have known better. America’s appetite for salacious stories like this NEVER goes away, if anything it only builds over time. Stupid move. I think they should tack on a few years for running from the law and causing millions of tax payers money over a case that should have never cost this much in the first place.
->Joe Gillis
Beacuse the ones that invited him wasn’t the ones that arrested him. Hence, no double-crossing.
Anyone saying he did his time for the original offense is a moral cretin. The judge being a grandstanding idiot doesn’t take one atom of the stain off Polanski for raping an abused tweener. He was EVALUATED for 42 days, and if you think that’s appropriate punishment for the crime you should see a doctor.
Who cares if she forgave him. Or he made great movies. Or the prosecution was flawed. He admits he drugged and had sex with a 13 yr old. The 13 yr old said he did. And he was sentenced to jail. Then he ran. Like a girly man. To the land of girly men…France. He is not above the law. Time to do the time. Period.
BTW Daniel. He did 40 days only. Would you want the guy who f***d your 13 year old daughter to do just 40 days? Of course the judge felt pressure. He made a pathetic decision the first time around and was correcting his first mistake. My god people you want a pervert to walk free because someone “lied.”
People who defend a pervert are themselves pathetic. This is the kind of story that makes you question who you choose to call a friend.
I am always amazed by the number of people who seem to think that some combination of Polanski’s talent, plus the horrific nature of his wife’s death, and the fact that the girl says she now forgives him gave him a “get out of child rape free” card.
And Daniel, the DA has never the judge acted inappropriately. In fact, the defense’s allegations of misconducted are based around the idea that the judge was overly influenced by the DA.
As for “served time” he was sentenced to a period of not less than 90 days of psych evaluation, and was released after 42.
13 year olds dude.
Yeah well, he’s a famous man with money. He’ll be fine. Most men are.
Curt Reiss, if I get you right,once a female is no longer a virgin drugging and anally and vaginally raping them is in order in this case even if she is 13? It’s a odd argument you make. Most non-pedophiles would disagree with you.
And for others who would like to blame the victim with comments like “why was she alone with him?” read the trial transcripts if you want to inform your opinion.
According to the documents Polanski followed one of the more comon pedophile’s pattern of visiting the girl and her mother at their home on more than one occasion, developing trust, becoming a friend. Once trusted he lured the child to a remote location and drugged and raped the 13 year old.
Even if the mother was a terrible parent– and I’m not saying she was– but by some of the logic here raping the 13 year old would then be in order? I dunno. At some point I think you might consider placing responsibility on the 43 year old dude who is F****** the drugged child in the a** even if some 30 years has come to pass and he’s friends with Jack. I realize that will be difficult for some.
Does it really matter anymore?
The so-called “victim” has pledged to let the matter drop entirely. The judge not only lied to Polanski, but also violated the original terms.
This is merely cannon fodder for a new round of moral panic and public outburt, so that bible belt mothers can make their righteous proclamations, not because of any indignity towards the issue, but because they need to maintain their social standing amongst their peers by demonizing a rather mild affair.
Child abuse is an issue the media loves to use to manipulate the mass audience into a fit of hysteria, without allowing any breathing room for a proper debate over the technicalities. Communism and terrorism share the same level of outrage.
The real outrage is that his actions have actually brought some legitimacy to the issue of keeping children a separate assexual entity from the rest of society. The girl was 13, but was no stranger to alcohol, and had an active sex life.
If it was acceptable 200 years ago, what’s to keep it from going back to that standard?
The guy raped a child. The guy should go to jail. Period.