The Long, Strong – and Possibly Wrong? Arm of the Law: The Arrest of Roman Polanski

September 28, 2009

Film director Roman PolanskiRoman Polanski, 76, was detained in Zurich, Switzerland Saturday on a 1978 arrest warrant. Polanski’s films include his first hit Rosemary’s Baby and The Pianist, for which he received an Oscar for best film of 2002.

Polanski's arrest stems from various criminal charges that he sexually assaulted a 13 year old girl in the home of actor Jack NicholsonJack Nicholson in 1977. Under a plea deal filed by Polanski’s lawyers in the 70’s he was to have been spared a possible 50 year sentence. But the deal apparently came unraveled whenever the judge in the case had second thoughts. In any case Mr. Polanski abruptly fled the country before any agreement was formally reached.

Polanski has readily admitted that he had had sex with the young girl, Samantha Geimer, now age 45. But he claimed she was a willing and experienced participant. A monetary settlement was reached with the woman after Polanski had relocated to France. Geimer now says she has forgiven the director and does not wish to further pursue prosecution of Mr. Polanski for any crimes he may have committed.

Polanski’s former wife, actress Sharon TateSharon Tate was a victim of the Manson killings which occurred in August, 1969. Polanski is said to have never returned to the U.S. following his return to France in 1978, although he has for years moved freely around several European countries including Switzerland.

Protests have been voiced by both French and Polish authorities concerning Polanski’s possible extradition to California. The French culture minister, Frederic Mitterand and the French President Nicholas Sarkozy have publicly expressed their hopes that the case can be resolved and that the 31 year old warrant can be lifted. The thirty plus year old crime thus now looms as a possible international incident given widely differing philosophies and attitudes between the United States and European countries.

What are your thoughts on Roman Polanski’s arrest? Has Mr. Polanski already paid his dues given the notoriety, monetary cost and shame he has faced over the past 30 plus years or should he be brought back to Los Angeles to stand trial? Just how long and how strong in practice is the arm of the law? Does time ever really dim the stark reality of this and similar crimes? Polanski’s attorneys had earlier this year sought to have the 1970’s charges dismissed. His appearance at the film festival in Zurich was widely publicized in advance. Does Polanski’s arrest possibly have political undertones? If Polanski had been a lesser-known average citizen, would he have been likely to escape further prosecution altogether once he had fled the U.S.?