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After the French Foreign Minister denounced the Swiss arrest—by way of U.S. arrest warrant for the 1977 rape of a 13-year-old— of filmmaker Roman Polanski by saying, "In the same way that there is a generous America that we like, there is also a scary America that has just shown its face," now the French government has offered a more measured view. According to Arts Beat, a French government spokesman said, "Roman Polanski is neither above or below the law... We have a judicial proceeding underway that is a serious affair, the rape of a minor, for which the American and Swiss justice systems are carrying on their work."
The filmmakers and movie stars, such as Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, and others, who have supported Polanski's release are getting worked over by the press. LA Times columnist Steve Lopez went to the LA County DA's office to revisit the harrowing testimony of Polanski's victim (she said at the time that she didn't resist him that much "Because I was afraid of him"; she was also given Quaaludes and champagne) and says, "I'd like to show all these great luminaries the testimony from Polanski's underage victim, as well as Polanski's admission of guilt. Then I'd like to ask whether, if the victim were their daughter, they'd be so cavalier about a crime that was originally charged as sodomy and rape before Polanski agreed to a plea bargain. Would they still support Polanski's wish to remain on the lam living the life of a king, despite the fact that he skipped the U.S. in 1977 before he was sentenced?" Still, the sister of Sharon Tate, Polanski wife slain by Charles Manson, believes that sex between the child and Polanski was consensual.
The NY Times has an editorial supporting Polanski's arrest and (possible eventual) extradition to the U.S., "Yet where is the injustice in bringing to justice someone who pleads guilty to statutory rape and then goes on the lam, no matter how talented he may be? ... It is about an adult preying on a child. Mr. Polanski pleaded guilty to that crime and must account for it."
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How can anyone defend this guy? Also what was Jack Nicholson's part in this?
Its interesting that Jack Nicholson's name came up. I heard a story from some site about him from years ago that back in the 70's he used to like to party in France with underaged girls. Him and some other big Hollywood hotshots. I wish I could find the link.
Jack Nicholson's house, but Jack wasn't there—he was tending his fences.
How would any of them feel if it was their daugther? Well, ask Woody -- he apparently didn't feel much. He married the girl.
As far as RP already atoning for his past, read N. Finklestein.
i'm going to say I think polanski is a genius artist, and he's also a fucking depraved perv. You can be both. michael jackson come to mind. as adults we have the ability to reason and discern. apparently a lot of people have forgotten this. he needs to do his time. any paranoid suffering he's undergone is cause of his own damn fault.
Woody Allen? Ha! It's like Ted Bundy getting a good reference from the Boston Strangler.
One can not blame Roman entirely for the incident he hadn't and still hasn't grown up. The girl probably thought he was just an upper classman.
Why isn't this guy in prison?
The French foreign minister can kiss my derriere.
Polanski is a very talented man. HOWEVER... he raped a 14 year old girl and pleaded guilty. He should do time. End of story.
cut "IT"off, reattach "IT" to his forehead and send him upstate.
Better yet, make an exception and send him to Betty's House,
(women's correction facility).
OOOh, lala.
Doesn't surprise me that a depraved society like France defends and encourages pedophiles.
Learn the facts of the case, please. Supporting extra "punishment" for a man who served his agreed time is unfair justice. Polanski fled because the Judge was incredibly biased and acted illegally. If you defend the extradition, you are also defending a biased judge and unfair treatment regardless of the crime.
Thank You. RP had plead guilty & took the plea on a lesser charge, which I believe was a few months with probation, the now dead judge changed it to about ten years on the sneak and that is why RP fled the country. Just because officials hold power does not always mean they are fair. They are still humans with faults. People, remember we never know what goes on behind closed doors in life. So do not be so quick to judge ...
You are correct, sir. And the press has done nothing but inflame the public by the way the case has been presented.
Convincing a suspect to plead guilty and then reneging on the plea deal is a miscarriage of justice. The nature of the crime doesn't change that fact.
Actually, with due respect, you're both wrong. A) defendants in this country don't get to "choose" or "agree" to their sentences B) pleas are NOT binding in terms of sentences -- judges have what's called discretion. Just ask Bank of America in its latest settlement with the SEC that was thrown out by a judge.
If Polanski thinks he got a raw deal, fine -- he's absolutely welcome to appeal his conviction and sentence through the appellate process that's already well-established within out judicial system. You don't just get to RUN and EVADE because you don't like your sentence.
1) he fled before sentencing actually occured;
2) my understanding of the justice system is that a plea deal is between the prosecution and the defense, and that a judge does not have to accept the terms of the deal;
3) even assuming that his sentence would have been probation, he violated that by fleeing; he had the option of appealing the sentence after it had been handed down, but chose to break the law instead.
If Hitler would have killed all Polish Jews this would never have happened.