Roman Polanski suffers another setback in efforts to be released from jail

Roman Polanski suffered another setback in his efforts to be released from a Swiss jail.

Polanski was arrested as he arrived in Zurich for a film festival, and L.A. authorities want him returned to the U.S. to face sentencing in a three-decade-old sex assault case involving a 13-year-old girl.

Polanski supporters have called the arrest unfair, but Swiss justice officials last week refused to release the famed director.

And now, the Swiss parliament's Foreign Policy Commission has backed up that decision, saying the arrest based on a U.S. criminal warrant was justified.

"Switzerland as a country of law could not have acted differently," the commission concluded. "No special treatment for prominent personalities can be considered when it comes to crimes."

Attorneys for Polanski are lobbying U.S. federal officials not to extradite him.

A team of American attorneys for Polanski met with a deputy assistant attorney general and other Justice Department officials Oct. 2 and presented them with arguments against returning the director to the U.S. to face sentencing on a statutory rape charge, according to a letter included in an appellate court filing.

His supporters have questioned the timing of the arrest, noting Polanski has been to Switzerland many times and even has a chalet at a Swiss resort.

But Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf insisted that authorities never knew Polanski traveled to Switzerland -- until L.A. prosecutors informed them that the director planned to attend the festival.

-- Shelby Grad

More breaking news in L.A. Now:

After rains, another heat wave comes to Los Angeles

Man fatally stabbed at downtown L.A. hotel

State's largest-ever earthquake drill begins this morning

Storm leaves area as fire-scarred hillsides escape mudslides

Comments

[Ronald Maierhoffer]

Mr. Polanski should never be let out of jail. No matter how "famous" he is...and to me he doesnt seem that famous because i have never heard of him

[Ian]

"Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf insisted that authorities never knew Polanski traveled to Switzerland" ???

Polanski has had a home in Switzerland he stays in for years!!!

(Looks like Swiss authorities are just as opportunistic as the LA District Attorney's office prior to elections).

[Jeb Bush / Lez Cheney 2012]

When will these hillbilly americans free this great international director? Just the facts please! As Whoopi said, this was not Rape Rape, as the victim said "NO" repeatedly and asked to be taken home before the assualt. www.thesmokinggun.com - Grand Jury transcripts. So it was concentual as we all know in the 70's "NO" meant "Yes"! Roman even gave an interview in Paris in '77 explaining that she wanted it, nough said! The Judge was unhappy with the plea bargin deal, and was not going to support the recommendation from the star struck DA and psycologists! 43 days for drugging and sodomizing a 13 year old? Sacre Bleu, the true offense (as all Hollywood knows), is that this Judge did not immediately release this great man on day one. Afterall, she was a sl*t. He was able to have his friends visit her school and release pictures of her to her friends with the word Lolita on it! This was not smearing a 13 yearold 7th grader, this was educating her classmates. Of course now she is afraid of further "education" by Roman's many Hollywood friends, so she wants the case dropped. Makes sense to all Liberals, abuse and smear the rape victim till she wants the case dropped. Flashback to the good ole' days!

[Richard Ivey]

It is correct that Polanski should face the court of justice in Los Angeles; however, at the time Polanski did his crime Americans had killed a couple of million Vietnamese in Southeast Asia. Where is their Nuremburg? Americans refuse to face the court of justice.

[Catherine]

It's difficult imagining that Polanski "suffered" any "setback" after he escaped his sentencing and then be publicly rewarded for three decades despite being an admitted fugitive child rapist.

Polanski is not the victim in this sex crime case against a 13-year old girl. The girl he violated is the victim.

I hope other possible victims/witnesses will come so polanski will stay behind bars so kids can be safe rather than hear about how a caged predator is suffering a set-back.

See him for what he is and help protect others.

[jackson2408]

Roman Polanski just seems crazy to continue to try and resist extradition. What is he thinking?? He should have insisted on returning to the US the minute he was arrested and at least try to make himself loook a little better.
What a mess his contempt and arrogance have created.

[ralph Petrillo]

It is time for him to face justice. Only the idiotic French would allow him to escape justice for all of these years. All of those Hollywood idiots that hugged him and defended him will see justice hit him hard. Rape is Rape Hollywood.

[Victoria]

Excellent news. Now bring the coward back to the US and have him face the music.

[notanagitator]

If Polanski goes free if will demonstrate that if you can hide long enough, have wealth and have elitist supporters that you can rape a 13 year old and walk away from it....and that is totally wrong.

[Ana Dreampainter]

Some things need to be left out of the courts. The legal system ruins lives. I have no faith in it. We need to think about their children and spouses. Everyone has moved on. Let them deal with it. I believe this was consensual anyway. So do many others. Samantha G. received $500,000. She is on his side. She wants this dropped. Looks like left over Nazis and Puritans to me.
Ana

[Gina]

I think it's sick that Hollywood supports this pedophile. I've never watched any of Polanski's movies because of his crime and never will.
As a mom, it truly sickens me that people treat him differently because of his status. He's a pedophile and I wonder how many other young girls he's raped.
Once a pedophile, always a pedophile. I suppose the only differnce is this the size of the wallet (to quiet the victims).

[Jb]

One of your reporters should delve into The Inmate Welfare Fund in the California Prison System. Corrupt as hell.

[Jb]

Prison ofiicials use it as their private piggy bank. Inmate Welfare Fund...California State Prison System.

[uwonijcie go]

If Polanski wasn't a celebrity no one would care about this "statutory rape" 31 years later. He's paid for the crime many times already. What a hypocrisy! And if you look at it in broader perspective and see what this man has been through (Auschwitz, brutal murder of his pregnant wife) it is more than that: it becomes inhumane and sinister to persecute him now.

[Norm Silver]

This is good news again. This pedophile/molester jerlk is no different than any of us. His position and wealth shouldnot be considered. He should be held accountable just like I hope the rest of us would be.

[C Town]

The problem with the Swiss Official Statement in regards to that it is a country of Law. That is all well and good but what if they are hooking up with a Lawless Los Angeles agency? Then the lawful Swiss just become an agent of the lawless Los Angeles agency to scapegoat Polanski for the sins of Los Angeles, and create a diversion from the State's financial woes.

Way Way Back in the last century - if Roman Polanski only received another 50 days in prison from Judge Laurence J. Rittenband- Polanski would still have been forced to agree to deportation.

Polanski was being coerced by the Judge, and if Polanski did not agree to lose his civil rights and agree to be deported - then the Santa Monica Judge, Judge Laurence J. Rittenband would certainly have given Polanski a far greater sentence.

When Judge Laurence R. Rittenband’s coerced Roman Polanski to give up his legal rights to dispute deportation this was an abuse of Santa Monica Judge Laurence J. Rittenband's Judicial power.

When Judge Laurence J. Rittenband in 1978 hinted that he was going to sentence Polanski to a greater sentence than was originally planned, when there was never a trial - it was at this point Roman Polanski complied with Judge Rittenband’s requested punishment for Polanski by deporting himself.

Now 31 years later Los Angeles authorities are worrying that they have not punished Polanski enough. But this is not true he has been punished through the Judge Rittenband holding the threat of indeterminate imprisonment time over his head for months, along with wanting to take away Polanski's rights to dispute deportation, and when the prosecutor Roger Gunson, and victim’s family and Chino prison officials only wanted probation.

Polanski has also been punished as he served 42 days, and because if he had been treated fairly and with respect – even as an alleged sexual offender – and had not suffered the Abuse of Power by Judge Laurence J. Rittenband at Santa Monica Courthouse , Polanski would not have had to flee, and would have continued to be able to make movies in Hollywood, England once he had served his time.

[Orville Boutilier]

I feel sorry for Polanski. He sits in a small cell, few belongings and little to do. He sits among common criminals and his outlook for the future is certainly bleak at best.

But Polanski is guilty of the crime of rape and it's probably more than just that. You see, this guy took to bed a child of 13 years; someone not capable of making decisions about the rest of their life. Polanski, an adult at the time, knew well the consequences of his actions.

To justify this crime is an insult to the intelligence of everyone who considers the innocence of a 13 year old girl as something sacred. Rather than help her in her quest to become a model, he took her drug enhanced body to bed and had sex with her.

Sorry, but we can't get "reasonable" about stuff like that. We have to leave the children alone and be a part of their personal development and growth. Not cheat them into going to bed for sex.

Those who justify it perhaps belong in the next bunk to him. Polanski should have kept his hands to himself. He should have thought twice. He should have ordered something in if he felt the need, not pull a 13 year old girl into his bed for sexual intercourse.

So I am sorry that his future looks more and more like a horror flick every day, I'm sorry he can't enjoy his freedom or the fruits of his lifetime of labor. I am sorry that he will now become famous for another reason that has nothing to do with being a brilliant director and an extremely creative individual; that took a lot of work to achieve.

I am NOT sorry for the fact that he is being held to answer for a crime he committed so long ago. The victim might forgive him (despite having not been paid the half million dollar settlement offered to her years ago,) but society has to call in the note and demand payment. There are many 13 year old girls out there posing for shots right now and giving Mr. Polanski a "pass" sends the wrong message to the people on both sides of the camera.

Leave the children alone to grow up and make their own decisions. Help them. Don't rape them. Don't do it. It's wrong.

Bring Mr. Polanski back tot he United States Of America. He owes a debt to society for one of the worst crimes.

I congratulate him on his accomplishments in the industry, but now it's time to face the music for this crime. The vacation is over. Get him back here.

[Jack]

Of course, once again Swiss and American officials are saying that there is no "special treatment" for Mr. Polanski because of his celebrity status. However, I notice that his team of lawyers have met with a deputy assistant attorney general and other high justice department officials in their bid to keep him from being extradited. Can you imagine an average guy with little money and no connections having his lawyer meet with a deputy assistant attorney general? Can you imagine the deputy assistant attorney general meeting with HIS lawyer?
Having Polanski arrested was a legal technicality that had to be cleared up because child molesting was involved. Lets wait and see what kind of wrist slapping he gets when and if he ever arrives back in the United States. All of Hollywood's celebritys will be gnashing their teeth and begging for lieniency for him (like they usually receive)---the whole thing is sickening. In the first place, how did he manage to flee the country when he was arrested and out of bail on a felony? Do you mean they did not require him to surrender his passport like they would have demanded any average person to do? No special treatment---yeah, right.

[Bobby]

This article should be titled. "Polanski suffers setback to be released from jail and run away again"

[Bill]

Even with some Swiss setbacks Roman Polanski still continues to receive support from people who support his release.

Today French President Nicolas Sarkozy says the US warrant issued for Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski on a 32-year-old sex charge was "not a good administration of justice".

Sarkozy said, "I understand that people are shocked by the gravity of the accusations against Roman Polanski," "But I add that it is not a good administration of justice to do this 32 years after the facts when the person concerned is today 76 years old."

[Mo]

Wow, way to remain neutral, LA Times! He "suffers" this setback - such a revealing choice of words. I love how you've set it up so it looks like there are only his supporters and the people who are keeping him unreasonably locked away.

There are a great deal of others people who might weigh in too, as the comments are continuing to reveal.

The case involves a man who has admitted to giving a 13 year old girl (with whom he was supposed to be having a business relationship with, no less) alcohol and drugs and then raping her orally, vaginally and anally. A man who was allowed to plead to lesser charges - not because the case had no merit but because the court wanted to spare the child further trauma - who swore to a plea agreement that expressly advised him that the sentence could result in up to 15 years of prison time. A man who caught a rumour that the judge might sentence him to a mere 43 days of prison and fled the country to evade that frightfully measly sentence before going on to unrepentantly declare in the European press that he liked f---ing young girls - and to assert that there was nothing wrong with that at all.

I'm sure he's suffered these thirty years while he continued in freedom to celebrate his art, too. There's not just poor Polanski, his supporters and those officials that seek to persecute(prosecute, maybe?) him. There's also a lot of us out here in Readerland that think that maybe it sets a really bad precedent to reward those who flee their (nothing short of lenient) sentencing and consequences, especially when there's obviously not a shred of remorse in the perpetrator about the act itself.

[The Truth Hurts]

To Ana Dreampainter:
Before you defend a rapist pedophile and casually make remarks about Samantha Geimer, you may want to read the L.A. Times article about how Polanski agreed to pay a settlement of $500,000 to Geimer....AND NEVER SATISFIED THE SETTLEMENT! She's been fighting to try and get the money since 1996 and Polanski deliberately made it hard for her through dirt-bag manuvering. Her reasons not to fight anymore are not what you may wish to think. I can't beleive you are so naive!

[Caroline]

The article says "His [Polanski's] supporters have questioned the timing of the arrest, noting Polanski has been to Switzerland many times and even has a chalet at a Swiss resort."

It is true - Roman Polanski's supporters are questioning the timing of Roman Polanski's arrest because it seems strange the arrest occurred on Sept 26th 2009- two days after Roman Polanski's American wife's murderer Susan Atkins died.

Susan Atkins was a California teenage girl who murdered Roman Polanski's American wife Sharon Tate and his unborn child in 1969 in California.

In the summer of 1969, Susan Atkins stabbed Roman Polanksi's wife, pregnant actress Sharon Tate a gruesome 16 times. There was no compassion, no mercy.

Polanski was in Europe filming otherwise he certainly might have been one of the victims too.

Susan Atkins and the Manson "family's" murders were horrific.

After killing Polanski's wife Sharon Tate, prosecutors said Susan Atkins tasted the actress' blood and used it to scrawl “PIG” on her and Roman Polanski's front door. The whole world was horrified.

Is it possible that the Los Angeles Prosecutors waited until Susan Atkins (the murderer of Roman Polanski's American wife and unborn child ) was dead before actively pursuing Roman Polanski? Or is the fact that she died two days before Polanski was arrested in Switzerland coincidental?

If Los Angeles had managed to arrest Polanski when his wife's and unborn child's murderer was still alive, then there would have been far more uproar in arresting Roman Polanski for his later alleged faux pas with an underage girl, than there is now.

With the murderer of Polanski's American wife and child out of the way, and no longer VISIBLE - it is as though the Los Angeles authorities can ignore this horrendous event against Roman Polanski's American family or that this event did not severely hurt and traumatize Roman Polanski in 1969 and since that time.

Compassion is not something that the Los Angeles Authorities have extended in this case so far. It is not compassion to be given because he is a film maker. It is compassion because of what he has lived through in his life, and yet still managed to carry on and be successful.

When are they going to give this 76 year old European man, who is not a repeat offender, a married man with kids of his own, some peace?

[David]

To EVERYONE stating this was consensual:

You can't have consensual sex with a minor!! A minor CANNOT consent to have sex (with an adult or another minor). This is why it is called STATUTORY RAPE (you idiots).

Sodomizing a 13-year old...PLEASE!! How disgusting! And he was 48 at the time? How ANYONE can rationalize this is beyond logic! I hope he does 10-20 in Chino.

[ion vasile]

Free Polanski! He's not guilty. The girl was already having sex when she met Polanski, so she was a woman not a girl. And she gave up the accusations. What an American nightmare! American justice it is called! Go after Osama Bin Laden not for screen directors!