Professional Soldiers ® - Swiss refuse to extradite Polanski

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Swiss refuse to extradite Polanski

Source
:mad:

Quote:

BERN, Switzerland — The Swiss government declared renowned film director Roman Polanski a free man on Monday after rejecting a U.S. request to extradite him on a charge of having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl.

The Swiss mostly blamed U.S. authorities for failing to provide confidential testimony about Polanski's sentencing procedure in 1977-1978.

The Justice Ministry also said that national interests were taken into consideration in the stunning decision.

"The 76-year-old French-Polish film director Roman Polanski will not be extradited to the USA," the ministry said in a statement. "The freedom-restricting measures against him have been revoked."

Polanski's lawyer Herve Temime said the director was still at his Swiss chalet in the resort of Gstaad, where he has been held under house arrest since December.

Switzerland's top justice official said he could now leave.

"Mr. Polanski can now move freely. Since 12:30 today he's a free man," Justice Minister Ev.

Approving extradition had seemed the likeliest scenario after Polanski was arrested on Sept. 26 as he arrived in Zurich to receive a lifetime achievement award from a film festival. Polanski had also suffered a series of legal setbacks this year in California courts.

Widmer-Schlumpf said the decision was not meant to excuse Polanski's crime, saying the issue was "not about deciding whether he is guilty or not guilty."

The Oscar-winning director of "Rosemary's Baby," "Chinatown" and "The Pianist" was accused of plying his victim with champagne and part of a Quaalude during a 1977 modeling shoot and raping her. He was initially indicted on six felony counts, including rape by use of drugs, child molesting and sodomy, but pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful sexual intercourse.

What happened after that is a subject of dispute. The defense says the now deceased judge, Laurence J. Rittenband, had agreed in meetings with attorneys to sentence Polanski to a 90-day diagnostic study and nothing more. The judge later changed his mind and summoned Polanski for further sentencing — at which time he fled to his native France, attorneys say.

Quote:

The Swiss mostly blamed U.S. authorities for failing to provide confidential testimony about Polanski's sentencing procedure in 1977-1978.

I wonder if they're talking about the victim's grand jury testimony. If so, there's nothing to be done unless they wait until the next time he steps on his poncho and is in a place where he can be arrested/snatched. :mad:

Polanski = Creep #1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green Light (Post 338973)

GT,only problem is that he'll probably croak first since he's 76 now. He'll probably never leave home again..................;)

Big Teddy :munchin

This is not an innocent guy who has not yet had his day in court.

He drugged, intoxicated, raped and sodomized a 13 year old girl, and admitted it, resulting in a conviction.

He fled the country during sentencing, and remains a fugitive at large.

Does anyone think that they could commit those crimes and avoid extradition and jail?

If I were king, the Swiss would not get back several future criminals they wanted extradited either.

Polanski is a pedophile, and should be incarcerated for the rest of his life. It would appear that some animals are truly more equal than others.

Hell awaits, old man, and soon.

TR

There's not much to add. Maybe people should start boycotting swiss chocolates...I'm waiting for a facebook group;)

(Not a Psychologist/ Psychiatrist) The Pedophile is often a habitual offender and among other things has problems with impulse control. I wonder if him running free for the past 34 years has allowed him to prey on other young girls and boys? I say snatch him up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Five-O (Post 339094)

Of course it has. Possible second victim

The fact remains that a lot of liberal Europe and some other areas of the world view child molestation in a different light than the USA. I'm not really shocked by the outcome here. Polanski will have to be very careful about traveling outside the Land of the Bankers and Watchmakers. Should he wander into a country more concerned with justice than money and celebrity, he could very well be snatched up and extradited.

Maybe he's trying to get to Vatican City - he should feel right at home and be safe there amongst his peers.

Richard's $.02 :munchin

Utah it's not ony liberal Europe that views his crime against this child in a different light - I'm amazed at the number of US "celebrities" that stood up for this pedophile and his "art"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard (Post 339163)

Maybe he's trying to get to Vatican City - he should feel right at home and be safe there amongst his peers.

Richard's $.02 :munchin

OK....now you are just being nasty.:rolleyes:

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthernDZ (Post 339164)

Utah it's not ony liberal Europe that views his crime against this child in a different light - I'm amazed at the number of US "celebrities" that stood up for this pedophile and his "art"

I'm not amazed at those people at all. They live in their own alternate reality.

To add a bit of Hollywood perspective of that time (not as an excuse but an observation since I was working in the industry at that time and had connections with one [two really] of the following), H-wood had been promoting Hebephilia with works like Taxi Driver, Hardcore, Lolita, Wanda Nevada (possibly), and a mother produced and promoted book, “The Brooke Book” (with a toss back to, and my connection, WN). And the public was not bothered by it.

IMO, it’s still going on, but in the public schools. If you teach a young child about sexual practices in the classroom, no problem. If you do the same in your own home, you very well may end up in jail.

Just a bit of observation and opinion.

Pat