Why I Like France, ...and the Cultural Elite.

[Blue Devil]

After several tries, U.S. officials finally nab Roman Polanski in 1970s rape case [Updated] (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/09/after-several-tries-us-officials-finally-nab-roman-polanski-in-1970s-rape-case.html)


Three decades after he fled the United States following his arrest for unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl, Roman Polanski was taken into custody in Zurich this morning and faces extradition to Los Angeles.


Anger in France and Poland after Polanski arrest (http://www.reuters.com/article/mediaNews/idUSLR8949520090927)


PARIS, Sept 27 (Reuters) - France's political elite rallied to the defence of Roman Polanski on Sunday, calling on Switzerland to free the 76-year-old film director rather than extradite him to the United States. Artists and film makers also urged the release of Polanski, who faces charges of having sex with a girl of 13 in 1977, accusing Switzerland of being overzealous in pursuing the case.

Polanski was due to receive a prize for his life's work at the Zurich Film Festival on Sunday, but was arrested on a 1978 U.S. arrest warrant after arriving in Switzerland on Saturday.

French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand said he was "stunned" by the news, adding that both he and French President Nicolas Sarkozy wanted to see the acclaimed director returned swiftly to his family.

"(Mitterrand) profoundly regrets that a new ordeal is being inflicted on someone who has already known so many during his life," the culture ministry said in a statement.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner also issued a statement, saying he had spoken to his Swiss counterpart to demand that Polanski's rights were fully respected and that a "favourable" solution be rapidly found.

Polanski holds French citizenship and is married to French singer actress Emmanuelle Seigner. He has spent much of his life here since fleeing the United States in 1978, but regularly visits countries where he does not expect extradition woe...

[bzhyoyo]

I can't see any anger in the French officials' reaction, but I'm not a journalist at Reuters... The British novelist is outraged though.
How does "Anger at the Harris's" sound for a headline ?
Anyway, not that much interested in this so I'll only add two things :
- Is "rape" the legal word for "unlawful sex with an underaged kid" or is that another example of exaggeration in the headline? Not a rhetorical question btw.
- I'd be disappointed if the only ground for asking leniency was the identity of the suspect. Talk about a justice for the rich and powerful and another one for common people...

[Willy]

Sex with a minor is sometimes prosecuted as rape in the US. Especially when it's an adult and the kid was 13. What I read about it, he drugged her, then raped and sodomized her. Supposedly there was a plea deal that got it down to sex with a minor, but Polanski skipped out before sentencing. Not a nice guy.

Polanski has thumbed his nose at the US since he skipped out before sentencing back in the 70s. I hope he's extradited.

As for his "ordeals". I guess being an award winning film maker is one, but I sure don't see it.

[bzhyoyo]

Thanks about the precision.
Concerning the "ordeals": how about having your pregnant wife being slaughtered by a maniac?

[Toastmaker]

Polanski has suffered serious loss in his life (murder of his wife, Sharon Tate, by the manson gang) but his crime is particularly repulsive here.

He's quite luck to have received the plea deal since the original charge was aggravated rape of a minor. The "aggravated" characteristic carries a much larger spectrum of sentencing in California. He could have been in a position to, if convicted, receive up to 50 years in prison.

He bargained away the aggravated aspect of the charge and then fled the country !! That's just mindless stupidity, knowing the growing number of countries that cooperate in mutual extradition agreements.

He deserves to stand trial. The crime was serious. He should be extradited as would any other person, regardless of fame or fortune.

[Willy]

So bzhyoyo, does having one's wife murdered give one carte blanche to rape children? Things must be different in France now from when I was last there.

[bzhyoyo]

Where the hell did I say that?

[6s.]

1) Blue Devil, why don't you also explain why you like Poland, since some polish officials expressed their concern about the Polanski case, too - or is it just another opportunity for casual french bashing?

2) Polanski is a french citizen. It is not unusual that officials from any country protest when one of their nationals is arrested abroad. Or is it only acceptable from US officials?

3) For the time being, Polanski is accused, not guilty. Toastmaker is right: Polanski should face trial as any other person, regardless of fame or fortune. Polanski's fame and fortune should not grant him any indulgence, nor cause extra severity. I observe that Samantha Geimer herself wishes the case be closed: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/la-oe-samantha-geimer23-2003feb23,0,4716430.story

[Bip]

No, I think he was found guilty and convicted but skipped the country before sentencing.

[6s.]

As far as I know, he fled after being prosecuted but before being sentenced.

[Blue Devil]

As far as I know, he fled after being prosecuted but before being sentenced.

He was CONVICTED of sex with a minor, ...a guilty plea cop down from aggravated child rape, ...which would have earned him 50 years in prison.

He was afraid that his plea-bargain would collapse and would not get the "time served" bull**** sentence for the perverted crime he committed.

He is a FRENCH citizen hiding in plain sight in FRANCE, ...and I expect FRANCE to respond to the flight of this pervert.

The France Government's behavior in the case has been typically disreputable.

As for the Polish...

...they need all the heroes they can get.

On the bright side, ...if he ever makes it to California for sentencing, ...he will probably get 15 years...

...and that means he will get to experience what that little girl did when he drugged and sodomized her, ...and THAT is Justice. (course, he will be wide awake)

[bzhyoyo]

I think he has a double-nationality, French and Polish.

[6s.]

He was CONVICTED of sex with a minorPossible. I know he's been prosecuted, that he's pleaded guilty, that he's been in observation in a psychiatric hospital, then released on bail prior to fleeing.
Do they release people on bail after they've been sentenced, over there?


He is a FRENCH citizen hiding in plain sight in FRANCE, ...and I expect FRANCE to respond to the flight of this pervert.Like any other country, yours included, France never extradites its own nationals. Polanski should not have been allowed to run away in the first place. So France responds my foot ;)


The France Government's behavior in the case has been typically disreputable.See above.


As for the Polish...

...they need all the heroes they can get.What's that if not arrogance?


On the bright side, ...if he ever makes it to California for sentencing, ...he will probably get 15 years...This is a serious question: is it possible to sentence someone in the USA when the victim is apparently unwilling to testify?

[Blue Devil]

Possible. I know he's been prosecuted, that he's pleaded guilty, that he's been in observation in a psychiatric hospital, then released on bail prior to fleeing.
Do they release people on bail after they've been sentenced, over there?

To repeat, a guilty plea accepted by the bench is a CONVICTION.

His Psyc-Eval was to determine whether he was a threat to the public as a serial rapest and pedophile, ...and should be let out at all. (hence the possible 50 year sentence)

Because it was determined that he probably wasn't, he was not considered a flight risk.


Like any other country, yours included, France never extradites its own nationals. Polanski should not have been allowed to run away in the first place. So France responds my foot ;)

The pervert is an admitted aggravated pedophile.

So why the Sarkosy outrage...?



This is a serious question: is it possible to sentence someone in the USA when the victim is apparently unwilling to testify?

No, ...there is no question at all.

He was CONVICTED.

He fled before sentencing for his CONVICTION.

The Victim at this point is irrelevant, ...it is only a matter of LAW.

(besides, she has been ****ed-over and paid-off by the Liberal Media and the Hollywood Elite since the crime was committed, ...and is still being solicited)

If Sarkosy had any manly dignity and National pride, ...he would merely request the remains of the pervert after his incarceration and subsequent death by gang-rape. (even American convicts don't put up with child rapests)

[6s.]

To repeat, a guilty plea accepted by the bench is a CONVICTION.Hey, I'm no more an expert in US justice than you are in french one ;)
Proof beeing:

If Sarkosy had any manly dignity and National prideQuite fortunately, there are laws down here, as well as a extradition convention between France and the USA, that prevent Sarkozy from acting like a king (for the time being).

But then again - sorry I have to repeat it but obviously you need things to be rehearsed over and over - I have no objection to Polanski standing a trial and serving his sentence.

[Nausicaa]

Polanski owns a house in Switzerland and is often there. The arrest now - at this particular moment - points to a shady deal between the USA and Switzerland, which is right now under a lot of US pressure to give up names of US tax criminals and more. It's a burlesque theatre show in the name of "justice" in which real big fish got a white jacket bought for them, nothing more. Of course naive kids like Blue Devil buy it all right away, "as the victory of justice over evil and perversion."
As for the US justice system, it shows again it's "frightening face" as Mitterand put it: A "justice" where in the name of christian bigotry unlawful sex is not forgiven even after 30 years, even after the public forgiveness of the victim, despite a missing conviction for rape, despite a life otherwise full of merit of Polanski - while just a year after those tragic events between Polanski and Geimer a "good catholic", Dan White, shot San Francisco mayor George Moscone, then walked calmly out of the office and killed supervisor Harvey Milk (a homosexual) with two bullets into the chest, one in the back and two more in the head. His conviction? Seven years (effectively five) because "his mind was unstable because he ate too much sugar".(*) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_White) God bless the bigots and their friends in the American justice.

[6s.]

Nausicaa, I love Polanski's movies. He's definitely a great movie director.
Nevertheless, Polanski or John Smith, 30 years ago or today, sex between an adult and a child (a 13 year old is barely a teen and legally a child) is an offence almost everywhere on earth.
I'd hate to see Polanski behind bars but I'd hate even more if he were treated differently than anyone else because he's Polanski.

[Willy]

Naus, you missed the point. He plead guilty to sex with minor to avoid a longer prison term for what he actually did. Which was to drug, then rape and sodomize a child. I find it quite normal however for you to stick up for such an animal.