Roman Polanski victim: Director is not a threat, prosecution should end

Samantha Geimer, who as a 13-year-old girl was at the center of the Roman Polanski sex case, called on prosecutors to halt the case against the famed director.

"Enough is enough. This matter should have been resolved 33 years ago," she said in an interview with The Times on Monday night.

Polanski had sex with Geimer at Jack Nicholson's home in 1977 -- sparking the epic case that appeared to end Monday when Swiss officials said they would not extradite the Oscar-winning director back to L.A. to face sentencing.

Geimer, who has in the past publicly forgiven Polanski, said she can't understand why prosecutors continue to pursue the director, maintaining that he's not a threat to anyone.

"At 76 years old? I don't think so."

She was forbidden from talking about the civil-suit settlement she and Polanski reached, but said that didn't influence her opinion that the case should have been ended years ago.

"People say I have ulterior motives," she said. "That doesn't make it true. I've felt this way from the beginning."

In Los Angeles and Washington, however, officials vowed to continue their pursuit of Polanski, though their options are now significantly limited.

“A 13-year-old girl was drugged and raped,” said State Department spokesman Philip Crowley. “This is not a matter of technicality.”

The Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police said the U.S. had failed to turn over certain documents requested by the Swiss.

L.A. County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley, who led the effort to bring Polanski back to the U.S., said he was dumbfounded by the decision. “Mr. Polanski is still convicted of serious child sex charges,” Cooley said. "The Swiss could not have found a smaller hook on which to hang their hat.”

-- Joe Mozingo

Photo: Samantha Geimer. Credit: Los Angeles Times

In Los Angeles and Washington, however, officials vowed to continue their pursuit of Polanski, though their options are now significantly limited.

“A 13-year-old girl was drugged and raped,” said State Department spokesman Philip Crowley. “This is not a matter of technicality.”

The Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police said the U.S. had failed to turn over certain documents requested by the Swiss.

L.A. County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley, who led the effort to bring Polanski back to the U.S., said he was dumbfounded by the decision. “Mr. Polanski is still convicted of serious child sex charges,” Cooley said. "The Swiss could not have found a smaller hook on which to hang their hat.”

-- Joe Mozingo

Photo: Samantha Geimer. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Cal Godot]

The majority of citizens support having a victim's testimony affect sentencing.

Which is of course to say, since most Americans are hypocrites: people care about what victims have to say, when they agree with the victims.

If Samantha Geimer were calling for Polanski's head, all the hotheads here would likely be screaming, "The victim demands justice!"

But she demands peace, which doesn't fit into the hate-filled, fact-free agenda of the Hysteria Brigade. So they must question her motives, suggest she is mentally deficient, or simply admit they don't care about her feelings, opinions, or experience.

Everyone here who is soooooooooo worked up over a 30-year old case involving people who are total strangers to you: you ought to look inside yourselves and figure out why you're soooooooooo angry, soooooooooo angry.

Or not. Just keep watching TV. They'll come up with something new for you to be soooooooooo angry about. Your false rage, after all, translates into real advertising dollars.

[Chico Gonzalez]

Castigate Mel Gibson for making knee jerk, shock value, idiot remarks made in the heat of passion from his manipulative, tape recording, gold digging, ex girlfriend but give Polanski a pass for drugging and raping a 13 year old. Hollywood is so politically correct.

[Jagexxx]

OK forget the rape (I don't agree, but for the sake of argument).

Polanski, a convicted felon, fled. Split. Ran away. Hid from authorities. Took action to avoid paying for his crime.

That's a big time crime itself.

[Joe]

The People are very tired of unjust judges and deals and talks with the Judge not placed on record. while I think Polanski did wrong and should not have fled, on the other hand; who can trust a Judge. They are the essense of corruption.
We have too many Judges , too many laws and too much corrrution in the courts.

A country's freedom can be told by the number of laws it has. If it has a lot; there is little freedom and lots of corruption. If there are few laws; the people have lots of freedom.

We are fed up with crocked Judical Sustems.

[Gabriel Toura]

I was a young LA resident when this crime took place - i've since moved to the UK and find the constant attempt at digression by the European media unforgiveable. I also cannot undersatand why actors have left the States to come shoot films for Polanski in Europe - to do so in my opinion amounts to condoning the unspeakable acts he was involved in.
The courts must not give up bringing this guy to Justice!!

[Huh?]

Samantha Grenier should take other victims into account
when she makes these type of statements. She should just say No Comment.

[larry jackson]

Prhaps she understands the difference between justice and revenge.

[yesterday]

Roman Polanski is a coward + a rapist. He should have faced what ever was meted out to him by the law. But no! Roman Polanski is a coward!

[Lambros]

It just is what it is. There are people raping and marrying underage girls all over the world. There is a double standard to almost everything. Its more outrageous what happened to Chelsea King being raped and murdered by a convicted pedo who was under survelliance at his home but not at his moms house.

Sometimes we need to be harsh to detract people from committing a crime and sometimes we need to be more lenient to detract people from committing a more horrendous crime. Its a difficult balancing act and thats why the law has changed through the centuries.

No one has the right to rape or violate anyones human rights. And specifically even the stupidest amongst us should know from watching porn that the best sexual pleasure we can have is when its consensual with another adult.

[PT1]

We can complain about the crime all we like but the facts remain:

He was never convicted of the offenses for which people are outraged, the wishes of the victim must be respected, and clear judicial misconduct render the whole thing moot.

DA Cooley has wasted horrendous amounts of tax dollars on a case that should have been over and done with decades ago. Even he knows that a rogue judge ruined this case and no political posturing will change that.

[Bob Schwiderski]

Would she let Polanski baby sit her grand children? If she went to a play, movie or bowling, would she let Polanski feed, bath and tuck them into bed ?

[Tvegas]

Uh...how much was she paid again?

[Laer Carroll]

Kathy, says '[It was], in fact, only "statutory rape" and not the "drugging and rape" of an innocent child.'

No, Kathy, he admitted to drugging and anally raping a 13-year old girl.

[Simon Moore]

Guess the US justice system should have done their homework and gave the Swiss the documents they asked for in order to extradite; rather than bungle this case topped by a corrupt judge, from the beginning.
Rape is rape, true. So why should he get away with it? Because the US Courts have been too dumb to try it for the last 33 years.

[Steve Meister]

To borrow from "Chinatown," looks like he started out as Jake Gittes and ended up as Noah Cross.

[Steve Meister]

To borrow from "Chinatown," looks like he started out as Jake Gittes and ended up as Noah Cross.

[Vernon Alferd]

What Samantha Geimer may or may not say has absolutely no bearing whatsoever on this case. This is about a rich and powerful pedophile who drugged and then raped a 13 year old girl, and who subsequently fled justice. Those people who argue that this case should be dropped are morally disgusting!

[wbstevie]

Bring him back, then put him in the same cell with Mel!!!

[Canyoubelieveit]

I'm sure Samantha is tired of the circus caused every time Polanski's case has another twist or turn. The fact that she has forgiven him wether it was because of the settlement or not is only her concern. I don't understand nor can I agree with her statement "that he's not a threat to anyone." I do believe he is not a threat to her anymore but then again she isn't 13 anymore either. The plain and simple fact is that if he is not willing to accept the ruling of the court then I wish his proponents will just let him stay where he is and not expect the rest of us to be "reasonable" and let him come back. We are being reasonable and it is his choice.

[Janey]

What is also disappointing is how much the Hollywood Democrats are standing behind him. A child rapist (consent or not, the law is pretty clear on this one) that fled to Europe to avoid prosecution? And they're supporting him?!

whiskey tango foxtrot.

[Tee]

Money talks, right Geimer?
And that goes for the Swiss government too.

It was just a matter of time, I expected this outcome all along.
They all simply needed room to cover the paper trail.

[R U Joking]

"She was forbidden from talking about the civil-suit settlement she and Polanski reached"

Translation: He paid her, & likely still pays her, big bucks to say make nice in public.

[Natalie Longurl]

Steve Cooley et al at the LA DA is a Blue Ribbon Buffoon, first class horse's butt, and has the mentality of a rabid pit bull in his pursuit of Roman Polanski. He, like his predecessors and that despicable preening narcissistic judge failed us all back then and still again now. Get over it and GROW UP Steve! Its time to dismount from your moral high horse and pathetic crusade of 33 years - at the VICTIM'S request! LA has more pressing problems than a 33 year old ghost of your collectively bruised egotistical failure. PS - Good job on the John Garner III original plea bargain.

[Sabrina]

I suppose the reason why Samantha Geimer is taking the position she is taking is because she wants to move on with her life, but I wish she would consider the message she is sending. It sounds as if she is saying that what Polanski did to her was ok...and it gives the message to pedophiles and ephebophiles the world over that they will not be held accountable for their illegal and immoral actions. As a survivor of sexual assault at age 11 at the hands of an adult, it saddens me to see this. Polanski should be extradited to the US to answer for his actions instead of being allowed to continue to live some glamorous jetsetting ex-pat life. Well, if he doesn't get punished in this world, he certainly will be punished in the next.

[Bem]

how can she be certain she was his only victim?

we pursue the sex offender because he undermines all of our dignity, all of our humanity.