Roman Polanski arrest becomes an international incident [Updated]

The arrest of Roman Polanski has become an international incident, with France and Poland demanding that the famed director be released on bail and questioning why he was taken into custody.

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office wants Polanski extradited to face charges that he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl 30 years ago.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told France-Inter radio that he and Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski asked Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton that Polanski be released on bail, calling his arrest  a "bit sinister."

French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand was quoted in French media as 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."

Swiss authorities told the Associated Press that bail has not been ruled out, but the director would have to stay in Switzerland.

Robert Harris, a British novelist who had worked with Polanski, said in a statement that he believed the arrest was "politically motivated." "I am shocked that any man of 76, whether distinguished or not, should have been treated in such a fashion," he said.

Polanski's decision to attend the Zurich Film Festival this weekend was a major win for a minor event, but it turned into a bigger coup for Los Angeles County authorities who seized the opportunity to arrange the arrest  of a Hollywood fugitive.

When the Academy Award-winning director of films such as "Chinatown," "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Pianist" arrived at the Zurich, Switzerland, airport Saturday night for a well-publicized appearance, Swiss officials armed with a U.S. arrest warrant took him into custody. The arrest touches off extradition proceedings that could return the filmmaker to the United States to face the child sex case he fled in 1978.

The county district attorney's office, which prosecuted Polanski 32 years ago for the sexual assault and has battled the director in the last year over his attempts to have the controversial case dismissed, initiated the arrest last week when it learned of his travel plans to Zurich.

"It wasn't any secret. It was on the Internet. They were selling tickets to it," said Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the office. She said prosecutors prepared a provisional warrant and sent it to U.S. Justice Department officials, who presented it to Swiss authorities.

The arrest stunned Polanski, who has long lived in Paris, where his French citizenship protects him from extradition. His attorneys in the U.S. and France said that despite his fugitive status in the United States, the director routinely travels throughout Europe. He owns a chalet in the Swiss ski resort of Gstaad, and festival organizers said they never considered his U.S. legal problems when recruiting him to headline their event by accepting a lifetime achievement award.

"There were no concerns whatsoever," festival spokeswoman Nikki Parker said.

The length and outcome of Polanski's stay in Switzerland remained uncertain Sunday.

"If he agrees with an extradition, he could be sent to the U.S. in the next days," said Guido Ballmer, a spokesman for the Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police.

But statements by his French attorney suggested there was little chance that Polanski would return without a fight. Herve Temime told the French newspaper Le Figaro that he planned to fly to Switzerland with Polanski's wife, actress Emmanuelle Seigner, to seek the director's release.

[Updated at 7:23 a.m.: Temime told ABC's "Good Morning America" that Polanski would fight extradition. "He wants to struggle, and I think it will be possible for us to maintain his freedom," he said.]

"We are going to argue a defense based on the extradition procedure," he said.

The U.S. Justice Department has 60 days to file a written request for Polanski's transfer to Los Angeles. If Polanski opposes extradition, the Swiss legal process can be lengthy because multiple levels of appeals are available, Ballmer said.

The arrest is the latest twist in a legal saga that has captivated and outraged the public since Jimmy Carter was president. In 1977, Polanski -- a household name both for his movies and for the Manson family murder of his then-wife, Sharon Tate -- was arrested at a Beverly Hills hotel and charged with raping and sodomizing a 13-year-old aspiring model. The girl told police the director had plied her with champagne and a piece of a Quaalude during a photo shoot at actor Jack Nicholson's Mulholland Drive home. He then forced himself on her as she begged him to stop.

Polanski reached a deal with prosecutors in which he pleaded guilty to a count of unlawful sex with a minor and prosecutors agreed not to pursue rape, sodomy and other charges. A judge ordered Polanski to spend 42 days in state prison for pre-sentencing "diagnostic testing." Polanski served the time and was released. But on the eve of his sentencing in 1978, he boarded a plane for Europe, never to return to the U.S.

The court issued an arrest warrant that has remained in effect since.

From his home in Paris, Polanski settled a civil suit by the victim, Samantha Geimer, for an unspecified amount, and she publicly forgave him. He continued to direct films in Europe and married Seigner, with whom he has two children.

In 1997, Polanski tried to work out a deal with the district attorney's office to return to L.A.: Authorities would arrest him at the airport and bring him straight to court, where he would be sentenced to time served and immediately released.

That deal fell apart, with Polanski's side saying that he objected to television coverage in the courtroom.

For the next decade, Polanski made no public attempts to resolve the case. He won the Academy Award for best director for 2002's "The Pianist," but was not at the ceremony despite Geimer's call for authorities to permit him to attend.

-- Harriet Ryan

Comments

[John]

"He is a child rapes and a fugitive from the law..."

Well, this statement is only half-right. He is a fugitive, but he has not been proven to be a child rapist since he was never tried or convicted.

I would have applauded this effort 20-30 years ago, but now? It's a political stunt!

[Lawrence Davis]

I agree fully with Rosco. We’re not condoning what Polanski did. We are saying both that the government should live up to its original plea agreement, which the judge was intending on abrogating; and we are saying that even though Polanski did do a very bad and wrong thing the State of California has better priorities now, especially given that he has lived an exemplary life and is apparently rehabilitated and thereby fulfilled one of the supposed purposes of the justice system. Also, our Christian heritage requires us both to recognize repentance, forgiveness, and rehabilitation, all of which can be seen in Polanski’s life since his transgressions. The apparent fact that h has lived a good life for so many years certainly requires those of us who are Christians to exhibit more charity and acceptance.

[KH]

With comments from two French government officials, France has also shown a Scary face. There is probably an international club of child rapists with very powerful members...

[Jaap den Haan]

I don't know much about Polanski and his films, neither of which I ever brought up in a conversation, but were brought up several times to me by girls, I now understand better why, but I always knew that his personal life and films have something in common. What is not known is still often informative. I once spoke with a woman, and I had an impression of something strange, which I asked her could relate to anything from her experience. She then from the detail I mentioned, remembered that she ever visited a house for sale, with her family, who wanted to buy it, which - if it wasn't the same (for I don't remember well) - was next door to the one where among others Sharon Tate was murdered afterwards, and that she had had a very strange feeling there. She was only a child then. Her parents hadn't bought the house. But if I am right, not much later the killers had gone through the garden of that particular house to enter. Most murderers have a desire to go through the backyard, by the way, I don't know why. Nobody has ever been the same since.

[baysfchica]

In this state and country, a girl, say 15-17 has consensual sex with an older guy the age of majority. She says it was consensual, she says she was not a victim, she says her partner is not a sex offender, she says she bears responsibiity for her part. But the DA and system don't care, they convict her partner as a sex offender to the nth degree possible; the DA and assistant DA's are only after their own reputation and movement up the ladder. Nevermind ruining the life of a person who is for all intents and purposes not a predator nor a criminal. But this can happen because it is on the law books by whom? The draconian, politicaly driven legislators.

[CHS]

France and Poland have some things in common:

- Both countries are calling for the release of convicted child rapist.

- Both countries were easily overrun at the beginning of WW2 only to eventually get bailed out by the good old USA (and other allied countries).

[linda]

DA Steve Cooley clearly wants a show trial of a big name to bolster some future run for office. This man is a self-serving bully and should just go away already.

He should be focusing on rapists and criminals out on the streets NOW because DNA rape kits haven't been tested, while his friend Sheriff Lee Baca was also playing politics over budget and refused to test any more rape evidence kits until the County restored all his $12 BILLION budget. THAT is the real crime that Cooley didn't speak out about.

We are NOT threatened by this 76-year old man who has been a productive citizen and married, not threatening anyone. Polanski should have served time back then, more than the 1 1/2 months, but even then it came to his attorney's attention that this would be a show trial. What he did is disgusting but if "justice is blind," it shouldn't go the other way either - some celebrities are singled out for harsher punishment and public ridicule to get PR for the DA.

The DA is doing this just to show local people how "tough" he is, and to make up for losing the Spector case and the Michael Jackson case, even though he ruined Jackson's life based on what may be false allegations.

In this case the victim says let it go, she wants to move on. Whether because she's been paid off or just has had enough public embarrassment, either way, it's enough. Elsewhere I've heard it was consensual, not that she was pleading for him to get off her - the real circumstances are murky.

This IS "the scary face of America" where a DA who's been in power too long and has gotten away with ruining the lives of people for too long, for abusing the power of his office too long, has just become drunk with power and desire to show that he will "beat" anybody, anywhere, even if it's financially and socially crazily irresponsible.

[joshua]

a crime is defined as any social harm made punishable by the law. What is the statute of limitations for child rape in california? yes he has to face the long arm of the law now. Also even though the victim may have forgiven him ... it does not matter because the crime is committed against society. It will be the people of the state of california vs polanski.

[Iben]

Just say no to ANAL Rape of 13 year olds .... JUST SAY NO!

[Missy Twane (an honest woman).]

The persecution of Roman Polanski exemplifies the corruption in the justice system of the United States…

From Samantha Geimer:

“We pressed charges, and he pleaded guilty. A plea bargain was agreed to by his lawyer, my lawyer and the district attorney, and it was approved by the judge. But to our amazement, at the last minute the judge went back on his word and refused to honor the deal.”

When this happens, our justice system ceases to be a “justice” system and becomes an unjust system. There is also a lot more to this than is included in this article.

Please see this piece written by Samantha Geimer from Februrary of 2003:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/la-oe-samantha-geimer23-2003feb23,0,4716430.story

To all of you who are figuratively clamoring for Roman Polanski’s head, if you were in the same position, knowing all the nuances of what actually transpired, you would do the same thing…

[christa coulter-scott]

they say " a man of 76 should not be treated in this manner? what about a 13 yr old girl who is sodomized and raped? he did the crime, he admitted to sleeping with her and he should do the time, he ran like a little coward! i love his work and i know he had a hard life, first losing his family to the holocaust, then his wife to murder. but still... this is long overdue.

[bill]

Victims of rape need to see justice. This man drugged a child and sodomized her. He needs to do proper time. The end.

[joe]

this all happened because he made a big stink about this case last year. the DA which forgot about the case then had its sights on him from here on out. I say bring him back and sentence him to 5 years probation or order a new trial and let a new jury decide his fate.

[The Raven]

This issue is best left between the victim, her family and the accused. The victim is 43 or so, has a husband and a family of her own- I doubt she wants to all of this in the media, particularly international media. It is yet another example of the LAPD thinking they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, regardless of the wishes of their constituency.

[in LA]

A 45 +/- year old man doing that to a 13 year old girl is horrific. Regardless of his talent and contribution to the film world, he should have had the guts to own up to his actions 30 years ago. The little girl showed more courage and strength than he did. That he has avoided prosecution for 30 years does not negate the fact that he still must pay for his transgressions. No one should be above the law.

[Lana]

How much is this going to cost the County of Los Angeles to fly him from Switzerland? Also he spent 42 days in jail for having sex with a minor...isn't that enough punishment for that crime, especially back in 1978. He was only convicted of having sex with a minor, so rape does not apply.

[John Almeida]

I just finished reading Patrick
Goldsteins story about Roman Polanski th well known rapist of a 13 YEAR OLD CHILD

i
I JUST FINISHED READING PATRICK GOLDSTEIN'S STORY OF ROMAN POLANSKI'S RAPE OF A 13 YEAR OLD CHILD. GOLDSTEIN MUST BE ON POLANSKI'S PAYROLL TO WHITEWASH WHAT POLANSKI HAS BEEN ACCUSSED OF , ADMITTED TO,AND HAS NEVER PUNISHED FOR.THAT HE,POLANSKI, HAS HAD A "LIFE OF TRAGEDY" IS EXTREMELY QUESTIONABLE. HE HAS HAD AN ACTIVE, PROFITABLE CAREER. NOT BAD FOR A FUGITIVE WHO HAS NOT BEEN PUNISHED FOR HIS HORIFIC ACT.
HERE"S HOPING HE GETS EXTRADICTED T5O CALIFORNIA AND MADE TO PAY FOR HIS CRIME. JOHN ALMEIDA

\

22222

[incredulo]

America. Circus of self promoters, hypocrites and transactional folk trying to pass ignorance for virtue . This DA wants notoriety, just like the mother of the child actress wanted to sell her daughter then for a carrier break.

Read the story people, read the bill. Simply get informed.
Not just the Fox news headlines.

Shame on the swiss, spineless nation spying for their fiscal sins.

[Karolyn Armstrong]

I don't understand why it would take 30 years for this story to become an internation incident. 30 years ago Hollywood was the movie capital of the world. Mr. Polanski was and is a bad director, person and whose only famous for assualting a young girl and running away from justice. And every time there is a story glorifying the celebrity for their crime it always comes back to haunt he victims.

[Michel Woo]

Mr michael jackson did the same many times he settled with the victims like Polanski did and also all the roman catholic church did the same settling and forgetting.
Leave the guy along. And prosecute the DA liar that change the plead deal.
Also where are the parents of the victim?

[MartyK]

Hey if he deserves to be free, let him prove it in court...like the rest of us would have to. Our system of justice needs to be respected. This guy has business with the court and he needs to show up for it. The time involved and his fame are irrelevant.

And those of you whining about how the DA has better things to do or other items to spend money on: Do you even know what this costs in money and manpower? Can you demonstrate that this case will alter the crime rate or budget matters in Los Angeles? If not, then stop making this dumb argument.

Does the rule of law matter or not?

[Carlson]

What people don't get is that Polanksi's plea agreement was violated by the judge.

Regardless of the crime, an LA judge recently found that judicial impropriety occurred after Polanksi agreed to plead guilty. Under that agreement, he served time and got a psych evaluation. It was only when the judge announced he was going disregard the agreement & put him in jail for years without a trial (because of the plea) that he ran.

This is an enormous waste of LA's resources and a huge blight on our international reputation. Even the victim is fed up!

[Likkity Split]

Amazing!!!!! America can ''catch'' Polanski yet sends thousands of it's soldiers to death to catch Osama Bin Laden. It really shows the mindset of this country...scratch lightly and you'll find Sarah Palin written on the heart of Americans

[Dominique]

Child ripe??? Come on... Are you sure? she got a money and shut up her mouth... Stop use children fantasy for extortion!
Better educate your children! What they are twisting (13 year model!!!)around men with money!
Stop propaganda girl's sexual debauchery in any kind of "Sex and City", any kind of Hanni Montani ....
Shame on you,

[Sensible]

Some dramatically bloodthirsty and "don't bother me with the facts" comments here. Does the truth matter to you people?

Please read the UPI feed printed in a local paper on September 20, 1977

(http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1291&dat=19770920&id=O_APAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B40DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6110,2739660).

The UPI feed states:

1) Judge Rittenband ruled that Polanski could not be classified as a "mentally disordered sex offender".

2) Polanski was evaluated by two psychiatrists during his Chino incarceration.

3) One psychiatrist, Dr. Alvin Davis, told the judge Polanski "is not a sexual deviate" and does not normally seek sexual pleasure from children.

4) Davis further said, "The offense occurred as an isolated instance of transient poor judgement and loss of normal inhibitions in circumstances of intimacy... with some coincidental drug and alcohol intoxication." He notes that Polanski has "normal remorse for his offense."

5) The second psychiatrist concurred.

6) Judge Rittenband agreed that the victim looked older than her years and "regrettably was not unschooled in sexual matters."

So, those you you who suggest that Polanski should be identified as a dangerous sexual predator and imprisoned for life, and please inform yourselves. Does anyone believe that 76 year old Polanski continues to be a threat?

Let me ask this question: How many men in California shared drugs and alcohol with underage girls in the 70's and then had sex with them? I'm guessing between 10,000 and 100,000, maybe more.

Now this question: How many men immediately confessed the offense to police, subjected themselves to psychiatric examination in prison, publicly admitted the crime, and paid voluntary restitution to the victim? One-- Roman Polanski.