Roman Polanski Wants That Pesky Old Sex Charge Dismissed
Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy
We all know the triumphs and struggles of Roman Polanski, and how one of the latter has remained a thorn in his side to this day -- the sex he had with a 13-year-old girl 31 years ago. The recent documentary Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (which Erik and Christopher both reviewed) covered the years Polanski has spent avoiding jail and both the US and UK, and ended with word that it could have all come to an end, but that the judge wanted the proceedings televised. That was the end of that until now; Polanski wants it all done with.The Hollywood Reporter posts that the famed filmmaker has filed papers with the Los Angeles Superior Court requesting that the case against him be dismissed. His reasoning, according to THR: "They list a slew of reasons for the case to be dismissed, including that the victim, Samantha Geimer, has made 'numerous' and repeated requests that the case be dismissed and that Mr. Polanski serve no further term of incarceration, a request that must be considered."
I can't help but wonder: Would Polanski really want to come back? Think about it -- the US he remembers isn't the US of today. I can imagine him coming back, seeing that nothing is as he left it all that time ago, and head right back to Europe. But this all also depends on whether they'll consider wiping it all away without Polanski being present. Think he'll risk it and finally hit US shores again?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-03-2008 @ 2:33PM
Scott K. said...
Let's see... reward a child molester who escaped justice for thirty years..? I'm going to have to say no.
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12-03-2008 @ 3:36PM
YouFaceTheTick said...
Scumbag should do his prison time and then he's welcome to be a free man in the USA. The man's an embarassment and it's even worse that hollywood is willing to hire rapists and pedophiles (Victor Salva).
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12-03-2008 @ 6:47PM
Jim said...
Yeah, I agree with the above. Polanski is a talented director, but a scumbag as a human being. Stay away, Roman.
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12-03-2008 @ 4:39PM
tom2ytx said...
Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't this child molester been rewarded already? In what other country can you rape a child and still receive an Academy Award and critical aclaim?
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12-03-2008 @ 5:05PM
Brettastic said...
Same can be said about Woody Allen about all the rape shanagans. Plus his wife was murdered and he wasn't in the right frame of mine etc, etc, etc.
But anyway, I don't do allot of world traveling, but if someone told me that I was no longer allowed to travel to the UK I would be pissed. Even if I never went you have taken my right away from me and have confined me to a certain part of the world. This all seems ridiculous, but when your world is on a grand scale, it's not. Let's also not forget that the land Roman grew up in has changed just as much as the United States has. So yes possibly out of pure spite, redemption or opportunity I would want to come back to the US if I was Roman Polanski.
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12-03-2008 @ 8:45PM
Gary said...
Can the same be said about Woody Allen?
Maybe you should clarify your remarks before someone gets the wrong impression.
12-03-2008 @ 5:47PM
Gina said...
Gee, it's too bad that the U.S. of today might not meet the exacting standards of an unrepentant child molester.
Give me a break.
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12-03-2008 @ 9:48PM
SlimPickins said...
I disagree with all of you. He did make a mistake, but he pleaded guilty, he kept his side of the plea bargain. That judge had a vendetta against him and didn't keep his end of it. Samantha Geimer has long since forgiven him, and has even requested several times that he be allowed back into the country.
I think Polanski is undeniable one of the best filmmakers we've ever seen. It makes me feel ashamed that we won't allow him back into our country. If he were a "child molester" or a "scumbag as a human being" he would be getting into trouble.
It's been 30 years. He made a mistake. No one's perfect. Everyone who was actually involved in that crime has moved on. Why can't we?
And consider what the man has been through. No one can live a perfectly normal life after what he's been through. Let it go.
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12-03-2008 @ 9:52PM
danielle said...
who cares whether or not HE WANTS to come back to the US? isn't that completely besides the point?!!! the point is he had sex with a 13 year old girl and has no remorse of this?!! and everyone is ok with looking the other way because he is a "talented" director? it just doesn't make sense...for something of that magnitude of filth he should be ostracized and shunned...it makes me cringe to think that the only concern for the whole thing is whether or not WE are good enough for HIM. disgusting.
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12-04-2008 @ 1:17AM
spamstratagem said...
Does it really matter that the victim "has made 'numerous' and repeated requests that the case be dismissed and that Mr. Polanski serve no further term of incarceration"? Don’t do the crime, if you can’t do the time.
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12-05-2008 @ 2:09AM
SlimPickins said...
I don't think it's fair to label him as a rapist 30 crime-free years later.
He carried out his sentence, the judge just turned on him against the plea bargain, just because he could.
And yes it absolutely matters that the victim has pleaded the case be dismissed. The question is why can't anyone else let it go?
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12-05-2008 @ 5:21AM
Hibiscus said...
I don't really have any animus one way or another regarding his crime - we have a system of justice that operates on law, not emotion, and it usually works pretty well. Put those pitchforks down, folks.
That being said, the "US he remembers is not the US of today" stuff was silly. Vague and meaningless political commentary does not a good blog make.
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