PostHeaderIcon Polanksi held in Zurich for rape committed three decades ago



After escaping sentencing for a statutory rape of a 13 year old in Beverly Hills, California in 1978, acclaimed director Roman Polanski was taken into custody in Zurich, Switzerland. The controversial film director was arrested on the basis of an extradition and Swiss authorities coordinated with US legal officials to decide whether he would be sent back to the United States to face the law.

“Polanski, now 76 and a married father of two, asked the court to throw out the entire case based on new allegations of prosecutorial and judicial misconduct detailed in an HBO documentary last year. The L.A. district attorney’s office argued that he could not make such a request while a fugitive, and an L.A. judge earlier this year agreed. A 1997 attempt at settling the case also failed.”----Los Angeles Times (09/27/09, Ryan, H.; Blankstein, A.)

The Hollywood fugitive, Polanski, a French citizen dodged arrest for decades,. He arrived on Saturday, September 26, 2009 in the Swiss capital city to attend the Zurich Film festival honoring his cinematic works. Officials of the film event were flabbergasted over Polanski’s arrest. The director was behind celebrated films like Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown, and the Pianist which won him an Academy award in 2002.

Disregarding the crime, French and Polish political and cultural elite defended Polanski and asked for his release. Artists and film makers also wanted the director’s freedom questioning the motive behind the arrest.

Yet, if the law has to take its course, Polanski, no matter how famous and talented he is must not be above the law. Failing to appear in his sentencing in 1978, his warrant of arrest is still in effect. (Photo Credit: Gullaume Horcajuelo/ European Press Photo) =0=

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