Swiss arrest Polanski on US request in sex case

Kel Varnsen

Byrnzie wrote:

Interesting article on this case here:

The film argued convincingly that Polanski never denied the charges against him and that they were dismissed under the terms of a plea bargain: if he pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor and agreed to be confined for psychiatric examination (which he was, for 42 days), the American authorities' requirement for punishment would be satisfied. Judge Laurence Rittenband, however, was apparently prepared to tear up the deal, possibly because he was worried about public reaction to a lenient verdict. Polanski therefore fled – as, his victim Samantha Geimer's lawyer implied strongly to Zenovich, anyone in their right mind would have done under those circumstances.

The smoking gun has the transcript of the plea deal. In it the court is very clear that there is no guarantee that if he admits to the crime that the charges will be dropped. Everything I have read about the case says he drugged and raped a 13 year old girl. If you do that you should be doing hard time, even if Chinatown was an awesome movie. On top of that he has been basically evading justice for the past 30 or so years.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/ye ... plea1.html

decides2dream

Deebs41 wrote:

I'm really curious to see how this plays out. While I must admit that I'm a fan of his art, I don't think there would be anything to discuss were he not who he is. If anybody else was convicted of such a crime and then fled to another country, under what circumstances would anyone consider a pardon?

acutejam wrote:

So I read about this at lunch today, lots of interesting angles:

1) Polanski's lawyers may have caused the rukus by noting in some summertime filings (trying to get this all dismissed) that the US had never "really" actively tried to get him, to request extradiction from France (just for forms sake) and what not. So maybe the Justice Dept went, "Oh hey, your right -- look he's going to a big Swiss movie shin-dig, let's nab him!"

2) The movie made about it all really does a good job (according to what I read) of portraying the media frenzy about all this 30 years ago -- makes it out to be worse than the OJ trial, and that the judge really had an inflated ego and was seeking more limelight by trying to alter a plea agreement. He fled when his plea looked like it would go sour.... (but from what I understand, you plea to charges with the District Attorney -- but still up to the judge to sentence on those charges, DA only recommends.)

3) Yes, the victim sued and settled out of court ... for MILLIONS ... and agreed to try and advocate for making it all go away. Which she's doing.

4) The smoking gun has her original grand jury testimony posted.

And after reading all of that, I can only come back to -- he fed champagne and qualudes to a 13-year-old, then had his way with her, was charged with some heavy shit, plead to some shit waay easier, and when the judge began to rescind the plea sentencing, and Roman might have had to actually do some hard time, Roman fled to France.
We SHOULD have been pursuing this much more vigourosly for a long time, but I'm glad we finally are. And here in the SF Bay Area -- comments are amazingly running about 80/20 in favor of getting him back here to answer for the original plea and then deal with the consequences of his flight.

Kel Varnsen wrote:

The smoking gun has the transcript of the plea deal. In it the court is very clear that there is no guarantee that if he admits to the crime that the charges will be dropped. Everything I have read about the case says he drugged and raped a 13 year old girl. If you do that you should be doing hard time, even if Chinatown was an awesome movie. On top of that he has been basically evading justice for the past 30 or so years.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/ye ... plea1.html

all about sums it up for me. i DO honestly wonder wtf has been going on these last 30 years that next to nothing has been done to return him to the US, and it doesn't matter how much $$$ in a civil case he used to pay off his victim.

decides2dream

Kel Varnsen wrote:

Byrnzie wrote:

Interesting article on this case here:

The film argued convincingly that Polanski never denied the charges against him and that they were dismissed under the terms of a plea bargain: if he pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor and agreed to be confined for psychiatric examination (which he was, for 42 days), the American authorities' requirement for punishment would be satisfied. Judge Laurence Rittenband, however, was apparently prepared to tear up the deal, possibly because he was worried about public reaction to a lenient verdict. Polanski therefore fled – as, his victim Samantha Geimer's lawyer implied strongly to Zenovich, anyone in their right mind would have done under those circumstances.

The smoking gun has the transcript of the plea deal. In it the court is very clear that there is no guarantee that if he admits to the crime that the charges will be dropped. Everything I have read about the case says he drugged and raped a 13 year old girl. If you do that you should be doing hard time, even if Chinatown was an awesome movie. On top of that he has been basically evading justice for the past 30 or so years.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/ye ... plea1.html

for acoustic guy....


these thoughts seem a very common theme thruoughout the thread, coupled with discussing the actualy case and laws, and possibilities...since it is 30 years later.....