Roman Polanski arrested in Switzerland; faces possible extradiction to U.S.
Arranged by prosecutors in Los angeles and Washington, Swiss authorities arrested director Roman Polanski late Saturday (Sept. 26, 2009) as he arrived at the Zurich airport. Polanski was scheduled to receive an award at the Zurich Film Festival.
According to a New York Times report,
Mr. Polanski, 76, a French citizen, was detained as he arrived to receive an award at the Zurich Film Festival. Although he is expected to oppose extradition, the arrest raised a strong possibility that Mr. Polanski would be returned to the United States to face sentencing under his conviction for having had sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.
Here is a short timeline of the events, according to IMDB.com:
By Wrap Staff
1969
Roman Polanski’s wife Sharon Tate slain by the Manson family.
1977
Polanski has sex with a 13-year-old model in L.A. Pleads guilty to reduced charges of “unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor” as part of a plea bargain and undergoes psychiatric evaluation in a prison facility.
1978
Polanski flees to France, where he has citizenship. A U.S. warrant is issued for his arrest …
- Glenn Abel
The NY Times states,
The legal proceedings around Mr. Polanski heated up again in late 2008 with the release of a documentary film, “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired,” that detailed claims of judicial and prosecutorial wrongdoing at the time of the director’s original arrest…
…Mr. Polanski was initially indicted in 1977 on six felony charges that included rape, sodomy and providing a controlled substance to Ms. Geimer. He eventually pleaded guilty to one count of having sex with a minor but left the country after becoming convinced he would be sent back to jail after having a 42-day psychiatric evaluation in state prison. He has not openly visited the country since; when he won an Oscar for directing “The Pianist,” he did not attend the ceremony.
Polanski’s lawyers asked that the case be dropped, citing the film and other evidence. But the request was rejected.
Roman Polanski has been a highly-regarded filmmaker, for such films as The Pianist & Rosemary’s Baby. He is also the husband of the late Sharon Tate, who was killed by the Manson crime family.
