I found the article in today's paper about Roman Polanski quietly disturbing.
In 1977, film director Roman Polanski was arrested for having sex with a 13 year old girl. In the midst of negotiating a plea bargain and while awaiting a court date for sentencing, he fled the country. Even since, he has lived abroad, avoiding travel to countries that have an extradition treaty with the U.S. The U.S. has kept it as an active case and has sought opportunities to have him extradited.
Meanwhile, Polanski has enjoyed life outside the U.S. law, living in France and succeeding in his film career, winning a directing Oscar for "The Pianist" along the way.
This week, he was arrested in Switzerland, where he had traveled to a film festival, and is in jail awaiting a negotiation between the US and Switzerland about extraditing him.
What I find disturbing is the attitude expressed, not only by individuals but by officials. The French foreign minister called that arrest "a little sinister" after such a long lapse. Numerous political leaders and show business luminaries have come to his defense, insisting that he should be released because the original criminal charges were so long ago.
First, even if a statute of limitations would apply, I believe that's about reporting a crime, not about how long it takes to bring a criminal to justice. And second, he is not just charged with a sex crime, but he is actually a fugitive from justice -- which is also a crime. His entering into plea bargaining would belie any claim of innocence, I would presume; and he fled while waiting to be sentenced.
I do not believe that we should just ignore a case because the person is too famous to put in jail or because "it's so far in the past, let's just forget it."
Let us be clear: Polanski is not a victim here. A 13 year old girl was the victim, regardless of what may have been claimed as a consensual act. He was 42 at the time. Sex with a minor is by definition a crime. We put a 17 year old boy in jail for years for having consensual oral sex with an almost 16 year old girl -- and let a man go free who, at age 42, had sexual intercourse with a 13 year old girl?? The 17 yr old was black; Polanski is white and the darling of the international film set.
Polanski's defenders are now trying to cast him in the role of victim. That's hog wash.
Polanski should be brought to trial -- for the original charges -- and for being a fugitive from justice for 32 years. Let a jury decide the verdict; let a judge assign the punishment and be lenient, if he sees fit. But don't just ignore it.
Ralph
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I'm not making excuses but stating some facts. Polanski's late wife is Sharon Tate brutally murdered by the Charles Manson people. She was pregnant when she was murdered. That has to do something to someone's pysche.You can't come out of something like having your pregnant wife murdered normal. Joy
ReplyDeleteI read today that Polanski's parents died in the Holocaust.
ReplyDeleteThis, together with the murder of his wife, is more trauma than anyone should have to endure. And we know that trauma victims often then become abusers themselves.
However, he still committed a crime and should be tried. In the sentencing, these things can be taken into consideration, as well as the fact (at least according to today's AJC) that he tricked the 13 year old girl into taking off her clothes for a "photo shoot" and plied her with alcohol and drugs. So much for the claim of "consensual sex." Besides, it is legally impossible for a 13 year old to give consent.
I agree. Joy
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