Roman Polanski detained in Zurich.

[F9thRet]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8277176.stm

Film director Roman Polanski has been taken into custody on a 31-year-old US arrest warrant, Swiss police say.
Mr Polanski, 76, was detained on Saturday as he travelled from France to collect a lifetime achievement award at the Zurich Film Festival.
The Swiss justice ministry said he was being held ahead of a possible extradition to the US for having sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.



--------------------


31 years this guy was the toast of the town in France. I hope they find a nice deep hole to put him in.


Stephen

[JenyEliza]

Bet he thought he'd gotten way with it, huh? Oh well....don't do the kid if you can't do the time.

Does anyone know what became of his victim (who would be middle aged herself right now)?

[FidelisAdMortem]

The fact actors/actresses would work with this savage after he admitted to bedding a 13 yr old and has been on the lam for so long speaks wonders for the hollywood crowd.

[F9thRet]

From what I heard, the pressures of this case every time it was mentioned caused her and her Family great distress. (family being husband and children).

She had finally gave up and had asked to just drop the whole thing. The fact that it causes this much pain for the victim is further proof to me, this Man should pay dearly.

He might have also, if the original judge hadn't been amongst the first to play to the TV / News crowd.

Stephen

[F9thRet]

The fact actors/actresses would work with this savage after he admitted to bedding a 13 yr old and has been on the lam for so long speaks wonders for the hollywood crowd.

Amen there FAM.

Stephen

[JediMindTrick]

The fact actors/actresses would work with this savage after he admitted to bedding a 13 yr old and has been on the lam for so long speaks wonders for the hollywood crowd.

He's only marginally worse than Woody Allen who if you don't recall married his own adopted daughter.

[FidelisAdMortem]

He's only marginally worse than Woody Allen who if you don't recall married his own adopted daughter.

One doesn't excuse the other. If Woody bedded an underage girl, he should have been prosecuted. As a police officer I have ZERO tolerance for these type of crimes.

[chip]

I cant wait to watch the hollywood nutters start putting pressure on Obama over this.

[Samm]

From what I heard, the pressures of this case every time it was mentioned caused her and her Family great distress. (family being husband and children).

She had finally gave up and had asked to just drop the whole thing. The fact that it causes this much pain for the victim is further proof to me, this Man should pay dearly.

He might have also, if the original judge hadn't been amongst the first to play to the TV / News crowd.

Stephen
The way you stated that, it sounds like she was more traumatized by the attention (the media and/or law enforcement) than she was by the incident itself... :neutral:

[JediMindTrick]

One doesn't excuse the other. If Woody bedded an underage girl, he should have been prosecuted. As a police officer I have ZERO tolerance for these type of crimes.

I'm not saying it does excuse the other. I'm just pointing out that Hollyweird has a history of supporting child molesters. Another good example is all the tributes that they and the music industry did to recently deceased molester Michael Jackson.

[FidelisAdMortem]

I'm not saying it does excuse the other. I'm just pointing out that Hollyweird has a history of supporting child molesters. Another good example is all the tributes that they and the music industry did to recently deceased molester Michael Jackson.

Well see this is where you and I disagree, I dont believe MJ molested any children. But the rest I can agree with.

[JenyEliza]

Well see this is where you and I disagree, I dont believe MJ molested any children. But the rest I can agree with.

I happen to agree with you with regards to MJ.

Since his death and learning more about his own children and his life with them, I have changed my mind about him. I really do not believe he was a sexual person. I believe he lived his life a-sexually, but adored children because he was a child himself. He never grew up. The perpetual Peter Pan.

I hate that I was one of the masses calling for his head on a Pike, but I did. I joined the hysteria that (I believe) ultimately killed him. Every person who sought to judge him so harshly shares in his death.

While I was no big fan of MJ, he didn't deserve the cruel life (and death) he suffered.

I am very remorseful for the hard feelings I held for him. I hope God will forgive me one day.

[Dragon1963]

I was actually surprised that any country in Continental Europe had the gall to arrest him.

[czzzaar]

I happen to agree with you with regards to MJ.

Since his death and learning more about his own children and his life with them, I have changed my mind about him. I really do not believe he was a sexual person. I believe he lived his life a-sexually, but adored children because he was a child himself. He never grew up. The perpetual Peter Pan.

I hate that I was one of the masses calling for his head on a Pike, but I did. I joined the hysteria that (I believe) ultimately killed him. Every person who sought to judge him so harshly shares in his death.

While I was no big fan of MJ, he didn't deserve the cruel life (and death) he suffered.

I am very remorseful for the hard feelings I held for him. I hope God will forgive me one day.

Yeah, I feel bad about it too but I think he was definitely acting like a homosexual pedophile, and he was arrogant enough to think that he could have children in his bed for days at a time and no one was going to question it. After paying off one family you'd think a person would learn, but a pedophile can't really help himself and repeats. Repeats again, if necessary.

Michael Jackson had an amazing talent but he was mentally ill and drug addicted. That's why he died. Those were his bad choices.

[czzzaar]

Roman Polanski?

30 years of being stuck living in France sounds like a long crappy prison term to me, but I'm not French, and they should probably bring him in and make him serve a few months in the county lock-up, anyway. Then some community service picking up trash at the beach in Malibu.

[The Girl from Ipanema]

They just covered this on our local morning news. It was unbelievable to see people saying they're embarrassed to be Swiss, etc. "He's an internationally acclaimed artist."

So that allows him to have sex with children? Insane.

[wasscullywabbit]

This whole thing with Polanski just gets me so angry. This guy raped a 13 year old. He pled guilty and left the country. The Hollywood types as well as the French elite say he suffered for the fact he couldn't make movies in Hollywood because of this, but I think the fact that he had a Felony conviction would have kept him out of Hollywood anyway! Sorry, but it doesn't matter who you are, no one is above the law. He plead guilty, now he must serve his sentence. I mean, 13 years old!! Come on! He was in in his 40's. That's a crime. He plied her with drugs. I don't feel sorry for this guy for one second, and justice better be served with this guy.

[DLaw911]

This is not intended to be a defense of Mr. Polanski but simply a reality check. The DA's office cut a deal with Polanski for lesser charges after some rather unseemly facts about the complaining witness came to light and she was very reluctant to testify. She (through her attorney) agreed to allow Polanski to plead to unlawful sex with a minor (i.e. statutory rape). The problem was Judge Laurence J. Rittenband. I appeared before him several times in the 1980's and I can say he was one of the worst judges to ever take the bench. He loved publicity cases and was known to invite the press into his chambers for photo ops.

In Polanski's case Judge Rittenband committed several acts of serious misconduct. After agreeing to a certain sentence based on representations by the prosecutor, the Judge later reneged and deemed the plea to NOT be negotiated, but to be open with all bets off. He was heard making prejudicial statements about Polanski in public places, and finally crossed the line by not allowing Polanski to withdraw his plea (the customary remedy when a judge declines to go along with a sentence/plea bargain) and ordering the prosecution and defense to argue their case to him in open court and he would pass sentence. When Polanski learned about this he fled and even the prosecutor was not surprised.

The proper remedy was for Polanski to make a formal motion to withdraw his plea and, if denied, appeal after his sentence. Most likely that appeal would have been granted. But he chose to flee -- the wrong thing to do -- rather than risk going before a judge who cared more about how he looked on camera than subscribing to due process of law.

If Polanski is extradited back to the US I would not be surprised to see his plea vacated and the case dismissed. That is how bad Judge Rittenband handled the case. In the alternative Polanski could also be sentenced to 5 years prison of which he would serve 50% less any time he already served.

Again this is not a comment on Polanski's crimes, but more about the difficulty at times of proving offenses to a jury.

[DLaw911]

......Michael Jackson had an amazing talent but he was mentally ill and drug addicted. That's why he died. Those were his bad choices.MJ always preached anti-drug. The severe burns he suffered to his head left him not only permanently scarred but in extreme pain. Anyone who has suffered scalp injuries knows what I am talking about. That began his use of highly addictive pain killers.

As for being mentally ill I would deem it more eccentric. With tremendous success comes unbelieveable pressure. His way of handling it was to retreat into privacy with his closest friends and those who would treat him like a friend and not a celebrity. I certainly cannot claim to have known MJ but I am good friends with two of his lawyers and based on their comments to me mental illness was not a component of his problems. Addiction was and it's very unfortunate he dealt with it in the wrong way.

[The Girl from Ipanema]

Interesting, DLaw911.

How do judges like that manage to stay on the bench?

[DLaw911]

Interesting, DLaw911.

How do judges like that manage to stay on the bench?He was known as a law and order judge. But keep one thing in mind --- it's almost impossible to defeat an incumbent judge. They serve 6 year terms (in CA). The only judges I've seen kicked off the bench were those charged and convicted of crimes. Like the former supervising Judge of the Criminal Courts (Judge Trammel) whose bailiff caught him in chambers having sex with a female defendant whom he was about to sentence. He went to prison for 5 years for that violation.

There are a lot of good things to say about Judge Rittenband. Not all my expernences with him were bad. The vast majority of criminal pleas are negotiated. VERY few are so-called "plead open to the Judge" pleas. And I never had him dispute any of my negotiated dispositions. On the other hand he did everything he could to be disrespectful to almost everyone in the court. In one case I witnessed but knew nothing about a defendant charged with murder was pleading guilty to manslaughter after the DA stated in open court that he could not locate his main witness. At that point there were two options -- go to trial with unbelievably weak evidence, or dismsis the case and refile it and hope to find the witness. So the DA compromised and cut the guy a deal for 11 years voluntary manslaughter. The Judge commented, "You're a worthless scum bag" and "I'm not going to accept your plea." He made the DA try the case. They picked a jury, the DA announced he was unable to proceed, and the case was dismissed and could not be refiled because jeopardy had attached. The judge invited the press into his courtroom and commented that the DA's office had failed to do their job and that he would not be a part of giving a murderer a break. [By the way this is what you call prejudging the evidence since the judge only knew the charges and not the facts]. There are a ton of Rittenband horror stories around. Polanski's lawyer apparently did not use common sence and disquality Rittenband (lawyers get one free challenge of a judge).

[The Girl from Ipanema]

I have a really hard time with stuff like this. I mean, there have to be rules, don't there? I don't understand how someone can behave so unprofessionally with no repercussions.

Sometimes I wish that I was one of those people who are blissfully unaware. :(

[F9thRet]

The way you stated that, it sounds like she was more traumatized by the attention (the media and/or law enforcement) than she was by the incident itself... :neutral:


That was not my intention at all. Of course the rape was more traumatizing.

Stephen

[F9thRet]

I understand about the Judge, But it in no way Means squat to me, when you have a guy who drugged , raped, and assaulted a 13 yo girl.

Stephen

Damn spelling this morning Edit.

[Remus Lupin]

the fact actors/actresses would work with this savage after he admitted to bedding a 13 yr old and has been on the lam for so long speaks wonders for the hollywood crowd.

+1

[byzantine catholic]

I have a really hard time with stuff like this. I mean, there have to be rules, don't there? I don't understand how someone can behave so unprofessionally with no repercussions.

Sometimes I wish that I was one of those people who are blissfully unaware. :(It is called "if you got money you can get away with anything." Heck look at our politicians.:shhh:

[CWinOK]

It is called "if you got money you can get away with anything." Heck look at our politicians.:shhh:


Silly Conservatives.

The "Rule of Law" is for little people,

not Washington or Hollywood Elites!

[circulating]

All those hollywood scum saying that they should let the b(^*%^% go for whatever reason, are really saying that this victim is unworthy of justice. That is the real point. They've decided to judge her and decide if she deserves justice. Once the thought of justice is gone, you are left with chaos.

*hands soapbox to the next person*

[angelicmadrigal]

I have a really hard time with stuff like this. I mean, there have to be rules, don't there? I don't understand how someone can behave so unprofessionally with no repercussions.

Sometimes I wish that I was one of those people who are blissfully unaware. :(

pfft, it's like the judge that told me _I_ was responsible for making sure my dad didn't drink and drive simply because I lived with him. Oh gee, I'm sorry I am asleep at 3am when he goes out and does stupid stuff.

[Calibabe]

All those hollywood scum saying that they should let the b(^*%^% go for whatever reason, are really saying that this victim is unworthy of justice. That is the real point. They've decided to judge her and decide if she deserves justice. Once the thought of justice is gone, you are left with chaos.

*hands soapbox to the next person*

Yeah, just like Whoopie Goldberg stating "well it's not like it is rape-rape". What the **** is that supposed to mean? Rape is RAPE, no matter how you slice the cake. This girl, not a woman, but girl, was 13 years old. Polanski asked her as they were having sex "Are you on the pill?" The girl said "No" and then Polanski said "Well there is another way we can do it". The transcripts are in todays edition of the LA Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lopez30-2009sep30,0,4549479.column

Now read what that pig did to a girl he KNEW was only 13. If that man doesn't get the book thrown at him, then this country is really truly gone down the drain.

Also as to fighting extradition, isn't the only defense to fighting extradition that you are not the person named in said extradition warrant? If so then why don't they just ship this ****bag back where he belongs and put him in, oh I don't know Cochran State Prison to serve whatever time he gets in the general population. Lets see how long he lasts there.