After 31 years ....

[Arcade Man D]

Then you didn't read my post.

I may be wrong about this, but my understanding is that the courts were agreeing to something, and then began to look as if they were reneging on it. The judicial system, including how plea bargains work, needs to be examined. I'm not particularly versed in them, so I've got no idea if this is normal for plea bargains. Given that he spent time in a concentration camp, I could understand his fear of imprisonment, though that certainly doesn't excuse him.

I think the grey areas are more for introspection of the US judicial system, than about his case. That he had sex with an underage girl is undisputed - he pled guilty to that. I'm also a touch concerned that the current media frenzy over potential child sex abuse (nothing more villified in the press these days) is colouring reactions.

Rapscallion

No offense, Raps, but anyone who honestly believes any jurisdiction would allow a DA to offer 42 days as a plea bargain in a case related to child rape really needs to think that over again.

[LeChatNoir]

Ok here is my take.....while I agree no one should be raped and anyone who actually rapes someone is scum....do we REALLY know what happened here? Did he rape her, or did she consent to it and then cry rape later? Who knows what the scenario actually was and how guilty he actually is.

Frankly I think the whole thing is so old now it should just be dropped, and if she agrees it should be dropped then drop it. I would like to see him be able to come back to this country and make films here again.

You can find the court transcripts of the initial testimony online. He admitted he knew the girl was 13, he admitted he raped her. In the victim's testimony, she repeatedly states that she said no to everything Polanski did to her.

And honestly, I feel for the victim, but he still needs to face justice for what he did. If he would have just faced up and served his time 30 years ago, the issue wouldn't even still be newsworthy and the victim could get on with her life. It's Polanski's fault this keeps getting "brought up".

If this was murder, or any other crime, would we still just be saying "let it go"? Just because it's rape that ok? He "did his time" in France so just drop it? I don't understand that. He is a sick man who did a sick thing and 42 days in jail server 30 years ago just does not cut it.

[Rapscallion]

No offense, Raps, but anyone who honestly believes any jurisdiction would allow a DA to offer 42 days as a plea bargain in a case related to child rape really needs to think that over again.

I think I mentioned a while back that I have limited knowledge of plea bargaining, since we don't really have it over here. I have to admit a serious lack of experience with the system. However, I do know that the world was different back then.

I saw one of the Pythons in an interview once where he was commenting on how the world had changed. One of their skits had a line where he'd been asked what his hobbies were, and the scripted response was along the lines of, "Gardening, molesting small children, and masturbation." The censors at the time told him he couldn't say 'masturbation'. The crime wasn't viewed as seriously back then.

I agree with the current ciew that it's despicable, but I try to avoid the paedophile on every corner hysteria that's becoming prevalent. I'm also aware of the historical context.

Rapscallion

[Amethyst Hunter]

I'd debate that, but that's another topic.

Dude, seriously? I REALLY hope you're not implying what I think you're implying. My faith in humanity has already died enough deaths for one day, I think.

If he would have just faced up and served his time 30 years ago, the issue wouldn't even still be newsworthy and the victim could get on with her life. It's Polanski's fault this keeps getting "brought up".

THANK YOU.

It doesn't send a "rape is okay" message

Yes it does. I don't remember people wanting to "just let it go" when it's other crimes that happened "a long time ago." We went after thugs like Byron De La Beckwith. We still prosecuted war criminals (like Slobodan Milosevic) who were caught when older or elderly. This is no different.

[IDrinkaRum]

The United States went after Ira Einhorn, for what ... almost 30 years also, for murder.

Mr. Einhorn wasn't a celebrity. He did know people in "higher places", but so do the average Joe Schmo.

I agree with LeChatNoir ... It's Mr. Polanski's fault this keeps coming up. If he had just owned up to what he did and did his time, then this would have been all over. The fact that he won an Academy Award in what, 2002, and the entire audience stood up and applauded him, made me sick.

He needs to be brought back, and be officially judged and we can go from there.

He disgusts me.

[Boozy]

Wait, did you just mean to say that male on female rape is not the most common kind of rape?

That comment blew my mind, too, but Nyoibo is right when he says it's a topic for another thread. It doesn't have any real connection to the Roman Polanski case.

[BroomJockey]

Yes it does.

HOW. Seriously, put your righteous indignation aside, and tell me how losing an extradition hearing in another country sends a "rape is okay" message in the US? No rhetoric, just actual thought processes please.

[Nyoibo]

Dude, seriously? I REALLY hope you're not implying what I think you're implying. My faith in humanity has already died enough deaths for one day, I think.

Not being sure what you're thinking I'm implying I can't say.

On topic, I wasn't even aware that Polanski did this until not long ago.

[kibbles]

The fact that he won an Academy Award in what, 2002, and the entire audience stood up and applauded him, made me sick.

I would have applauded too because I believe you can appreciate and celebrate a person's work without agreeing with stuff that person has done in their own life.

JMO.

[AdminAssistant]

I would have applauded too because I believe you can appreciate and celebrate a person's work without agreeing with stuff that person has done in their own life.

Separate the artist from the art - exactly.

[IDrinkaRum]

Roman Polanski raped a child: A Primer

Talks about the objections his supporters are putting out and why these objections are wrong.

Why this is Mr. Polanski's fault

There is a documentary (done in 2008), called: Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired. Because of this, a new judge was willing to re-visit the sentencing and the case, however, Mr. Polanski would have had to show up in L. A. to have the hearing performed. He was given 3 months. He never showed up.

Support for Polanski strengthens as does the backlash

Poland's Prime Minister has instructed his cabinet members to stop calling for Mr. Polanski's release as the case involved "sex with a child". France is still trying to get him free. Woody Allen has even signed a global filmmaker's petition to free Polanski.

[BlaqueKatt]

do we REALLY know what happened here?

Yes we do-I linked to the grand jury testimony, and he agreed 31 years ago that her description of the events was accurate

Did he rape her, or did she consent to it and then cry rape later?

Um where do you live that a 13 year-old, drugged or not can consent to sex with a 43 year-old? No matter what she could not legally consent.-(go back and read the grand jury testimony I linked to earlier.)


considering he ADMITTED DRUGGING, RAPING, and SODOMIZING her-I really don't think it was a "cry rape later"-or did you miss all of us talking about him ADMITTING TO the RAPE of a 13 year old girl.

Roman Polanski raped a child: A Primer

Talks about the objections his supporters are putting out and why these objections are wrong.

interesting-same arguments I'm seeing in this thread actually......good find Rum!

[IDrinkaRum]

Thanks BlaqueKatt.

And for those who can separate the artist from his crime ... that's great ... For me, I can't. I don't know why, but when I hear Mr. Polanski's name, I think "Child Rapist and Fugitive from Justice" and I can't watch whatever he's created. Sorry, no can do.

[Flyndaran]

Thanks BlaqueKatt.

And for those who can separate the artist from his crime ... that's great ... For me, I can't. I don't know why, but when I hear Mr. Polanski's name, I think "Child Rapist and Fugitive from Justice" and I can't watch whatever he's created. Sorry, no can do.

I feel somewhat the same way. But the more you learn about celebrities, the more you realize that nearly everyone sucks.
I can't watch anything with Tom Cruise. He hasn't committed any major crimes that I know of, but his evil stance against modern psychiatric medicine is almost a personal attack on everything that makes me, me.

I can't watch anything with Queen Latifah, because of her drunken driving escapades.

I can't watch reruns of "Growing Pains" or "Full House", because the Camerons are religiously insane.

Etc. Now I try not to learn too much about my favorite character actors. Willful ignorance lets me turn on the TV.

[tropicsgoddess]

No, I think they should just "lose" the extradition hearing. If the victim doesn't want anything done, just quietly let it go.

I agree. It's been far too long already for one and if the victim wants to drop it, then they should drop it already.