Roman Polanski, California still wants to see you in court
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If Roman Polanski wants anyone to consider tossing out the charge that has been pending against him since the late 1970s, he still has to show up in court to present his case. A California state appellate court said unanimously Monday that a lower court didn’t make a mistake a year ago when it ruled that then-fugitive Polanski had to surrender himself to U.S. authorities before he would be able to proceed with his allegations of backroom dealings and other improprieties by the original trial judge, now deceased, and a prosecutor.
The director, now under house arrest at his Swiss chalet, pleaded guilty in 1977 to having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl; in return prosecutors dropped other charges.
The grand jury had originally indicted him on six counts: furnishing a controlled substance to a minor, lewd and lascivious act upon child under 14, perversion, sodomy, unlawful sexual intercourse and rape by use of drugs.
Polanski fled the country before he was sentenced.
The judge who wrote today’s decision said, ‘We do not disregard the extremely serious allegations of judicial and prosecutorial misconduct that have been brought forward, but urge the parties to take steps to investigate and to respond to the claims.’
-- Christie D’Zurilla
Related Roman Polanski dispatches from the Ministry of Gossip:
Roman Polanski is home -- under house arrest -- in Gstaad Roman Polanski gets bail -- if it sticks, will he skip again? [POLL] The Ministry has plenty more about celebrities getting their day (or days) in court. Recent names intersecting with the legal system include Buju Banton, John Stamos, Pauly Shore and Lil Wayne and other Grammy winners.
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