Polanski Not to be Extradited to US, Free man.

Chiliagon

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Swiss won't extradite Polanski on child sex charge

By the CNN Wire Staff
July 12, 2010 10:18 a.m. EDT


Director Roman Polanski is under house arrest in Switzerland pending extradition to the United States.



STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Swiss decision not based on severity of charge or whether director is guilty, Justice Minister says
  • Polanski admitted unlawful sex with a 13-year-old-girl in 1977
  • He fled the United States before he could be sentenced
  • The victim has called for the case to be tossed out
http://topics.cnn.com/topics/California

(CNN) -- Switizerland will not send Oscar-winning filmmaker Roman Polanski to the United States to face sentencing for child sex charges, the Ministry of Justice announced Monday.
He is now free, the ministry said.
Polanski pleaded guilty in Los Angeles, California to having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977 but fled to Europe before he was sentenced.
He was arrested in Switzerland last year and had been fighting extradition since then.
Switzerland was not making a decision about the severity of the charge or whether Polanski was guilty, Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said.
"It's not about qualifying the crime. That is not our job. It's also not about deciding over guilt or innocence," she said.
The Swiss rejected the American request because the United States did not supply all the legal records Switzerland requested, and because Polanski had a reasonable right to think he would not be arrested if he visited the country, she said.
U.S. prosecutors cannot apply again to Switzerland to have Polanski sent there, she said, but could apply to other countries to detain and extradite him.
The U.S. Justice Department declined to comment on the Swiss rejection.
Polanski was 43 at the time he had unlawful sex with the girl. He is now 76.
Prosecutors dropped rape and other charges in exchange for his guilty plea.
But Polanski fled the country before he was sentenced after learning that the judge might not go along with the short jail term Polanski expected to get in exchange for his plea.
He has been a fugitive since 1978 and lived in France before his arrest.
Swiss authorities released the director from jail on $4.5 million bail in early December "pending extradition" to the United States.
Polanski's victim came forward long ago and has made her identity public, saying she was disturbed by how the criminal case had been handled.
Samantha Geimer, now in her 40s and a married mother of three, has called for the case to be tossed out.
Her attorney, Larry Silver, reiterated her position in December , saying details of the case harm her every time the story is in the news.
Defense attorneys also argued that prosecutors are ignoring the victim's wishes.
Polanski's attorney, Chad Hummel, has been pushing for Polanski to be sentenced without having to return to Los Angeles.
Prosecutors have vigorously opposed sentencing him in absentia.
In court papers filed in January, Deputy District Attorney David Walgren stated the reasons in no uncertain terms.
"The defendant is a fugitive," Walgren wrote. "A fugitive child rapist, who for 32 years has made a mockery of our criminal justice system, should not be given the power or authority to request anything of this court until he, the criminal, acknowledges this court's lawful authority by surrendering on his outstanding warrant."
Polanski won an Oscar for best director for the Holocaust drama "The Pianist," and was nominated for "Tess," "Chinatown," and the screenplay he wrote for "Rosemary's Baby."
 

Colpy

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He fed her 'ludes and champagne, then forced himself on her in every way possible, including anally.

She was 13.

The firing squad would be too good for him.
 

TenPenny

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Well, I guess you really can run away from the justice system, and get away with it.

Sure, he's talented. But he's a disgusting creep, and should be buried in a swamp.
 

Chiliagon

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I am more amazed and shocked by the number of celebrities that are defending and asking for the US Justice system to dismiss the charges.

talk about totally out of the loop!!
 

TenPenny

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I am more amazed and shocked by the number of celebrities that are defending and asking for the US Justice system to dismiss the charges.

I'm not amazed by that at all. It's exactly what Hollywood does: circle the wagons, and defend their own. Except when you inuslt Jews and/or blacks, as Mel Gibson has discovered.

But other than that, it seems that being an artist over rules just about anything.
 

petros

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I am more amazed and shocked by the number of celebrities that are defending and asking for the US Justice system to dismiss the charges.

talk about totally out of the loop!!
Maybe for them boinking children is something that is considered normal in their circles.
 

Praxius

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It is indeed pretty sad how they all try and trivialize what he did..... faced no punishment at all and is now rich and famous..... meanwhile the victim has dealt with this whole crap for so long now, she no longer wants it in the spotlight and wishes to just move on with her life for once.

So indeed, that's the message..... if you're rich and famous, you can get away with anything.... and to make sure, just flee to another country, live the good life and wait a few years until your victim can't handle their lives being consumed day in and day out trying to capture their assaulter, and gives up...... and before you know it.... you got away with your crimes.
 

#juan

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He fed her 'ludes and champagne, then forced himself on her in every way possible, including anally.

She was 13.

The firing squad would be too good for him.

Mr. Polanski is now 76years old. His "victim",is likely a mother herself....Maybe even a grandmother. The victim doesn't want to continue with the trial. I think it is well past time to move on. I can find no hard information that he used chemicals or booze on her against her will. The point is that the victim does not want to go on with the trial. Polanski may be the sleeziest pervert around but how long do we push this thing when nobody wants to continue? Other countries don't think the "crime" was serious enough to continue after thirty years.

Roman Polanski: The truth about his notorious sex crime - Profiles, People - The Independent
 

Colpy

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Mr. Polanski is now 76years old. His "victim",is likely a mother herself....Maybe even a grandmother. The victim doesn't want to continue with the trial. I think it is well past time to move on. I can find no hard information that he used chemicals or booze on her against her will. The point is that the victim does not want to go on with the trial. Polanski may be the sleeziest pervert around but how long do we push this thing when nobody wants to continue? Other countries don't think the "crime" was serious enough to continue after thirty years.

Roman Polanski: The truth about his notorious sex crime - Profiles, People - The Independent

Juan you are WAY off base on this one....she was 13 years old.........."against her will" has NOTHING to do with it......and I find it ridiculous to believe a 13 year old willingly accepts anal sex with a man in his 40s. And even if she did, it is irrelevant.

And I'm not exactly an innocent.

I mean, the guy (according to your source) pled guilty to unlawful intercourse.....and settled with the victim out of court.
 

TenPenny

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Mr. Polanski is now 76years old. His "victim",is likely a mother herself....Maybe even a grandmother. The victim doesn't want to continue with the trial. I think it is well past time to move on. I can find no hard information that he used chemicals or booze on her against her will. The point is that the victim does not want to go on with the trial. Polanski may be the sleeziest pervert around but how long do we push this thing when nobody wants to continue? Other countries don't think the "crime" was serious enough to continue after thirty years.

Roman Polanski: The truth about his notorious sex crime - Profiles, People - The Independent

Ah, that makes sense. It's not a crime to skip out on your sentencing hearing if you wait until the victim is old enough, then we can all forget about it.

You 'can find no information that he used chemicals or booze against her will', but she was 13. It doesn't matter if she agreed to it or not. She was 13.

I'd like to hear the Hollywood crowd, and you, explain why it would be okay to do this to your 13 year old daughter, if you had one. As long as we let enough time go by, of course.
 

#juan

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Aug 30, 2005
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he admitted to it, that is enough.

the fact he left the country instead of face his crime is another as well.

the guy deserves to pay.

Without getting maudlin here, Polanski's young wife Sharon Tate and their baby were slashed to death by Manson's disgusting minions.
Even I can understand that Polanski's head was severely screwed up but who knows......Hang'em anyway.
 

Chiliagon

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Without getting maudlin here, Polanski's young wife Sharon Tate and their baby were slashed to death by Manson's disgusting minions.
Even I can understand that Polanski's head was severely screwed up but who knows......Hang'em anyway.



yup, there is no such thing as the excuse clause when you commit a crime.
 

TenPenny

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Without getting maudlin here, Polanski's young wife Sharon Tate and their baby were slashed to death by Manson's disgusting minions.
Even I can understand that Polanski's head was severely screwed up but who knows......Hang'em anyway.

Ah, that gives him a pass. I understand it now. It wasn't 'rape rape', it was 'Oh, God, my wife and baby were murdered, I think I need to rape a 13 year old'.

Much, much clearer now.
 

#juan

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Quoted by ten penny
Ah, that gives him a pass. I understand it now. It wasn't 'rape rape', it was 'Oh, God, my wife and baby were murdered, I think I need to rape a 13 year old'.

Much, much clearer now.

I don't condone anything done by Polanski but Having had his wife and baby slashed to death recently, most people could understand that the guy was going to be a bit unbalanced. Did the victim say she was only thirteen? Big Hollywood producer gets done by young 13 year old girl trying to look 21. More than one guy has fallen for that trap.