Polanski - No longer a fugitive

[DinoDoc]

Known better than what?

To travel to countries with a extradition treaty with the US.

[Wezil]

Than to go to a jurisdiction (Switzerland) where he could face extradition. He's been very careful about his travel in the past.

[DanS]

I wonder what a normal sentence for this would have been at the time.

Unfortunately for Polanski, I'm guessing that the sentences of 1977 were much more lenient than the sentences in 2009.

[SlowwHand]

I don't agree, with any of it. I don't agree with him that the act was acceptable. I don't agree with the US court's conduct and I don't agree with the Swiss government's actions.
Really, the only one I agree with so far is the by now middle aged victim.

[Wezil]

I wonder what a normal sentence for this would have been at the time.

Unfortunately for Polanski, I'm guessing that the sentences of 1977 were much more lenient than a sentence in 2009.

I was just wondering the same thing. What sort of punishment does he face if/when he gets back to the US?

[Wezil]

He's a child diddler Sloww. Shouldn't he be on your Hang Them High list?

[DinoDoc]

Unfortunately for Polanski, I'm guessing that the sentences of 1977 were much more lenient than the sentences in 2009.

Ex post facto prolly is the one area of law that works for him in this incident.

[Space05us]

I don't agree, with any of it. I don't agree with him that the act was acceptable. I don't agree with the US court's conduct and I don't agree with the Swiss government's actions.
Really, the only one I agree with so far is the by now middle aged victim.

He had sex with a child when he was in his forties.


from the never erring wikipedia

Sex crime conviction
In 1977, Polanski, then aged 44, became embroiled in a scandal involving 13-year-old Samantha Gailey (now known as Samantha Geimer). It ultimately led to Polanski's guilty plea to the charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.[23]
According to Geimer, Polanski asked Geimer's mother if he could photograph the girl for the French edition of Vogue, which Polanski had been invited to guest-edit. Her mother allowed a private photo shoot. According to Geimer in a 2003 interview, "Everything was going fine; then he asked me to change, well, in front of him." She added, "It didn't feel right, and I didn't want to go back to the second shoot."
Geimer later agreed to a second session, which took place on March 10, 1977 at the Mulholland area home of actor Jack Nicholson in Los Angeles. "We did photos with me drinking champagne," Geimer says. "Toward the end it got a little scary, and I realized he had other intentions and I knew I was not where I should be. I just didn't quite know how to get myself out of there." Geimer testified that Polanski performed various sexual acts on her,[24][25][26] after giving her a combination of champagne and quaaludes.[27] In the 2003 interview, Geimer says she resisted. "I said no several times, and then, well, gave up on that."[28]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Polanski#Sex_crime_conviction

He deserves to meet some nice people in prison here in the states.

[SlowwHand]

I see your point, Wez. The law is what it is. He knew it was illegal and he did it anyway.

Now, I never want to hear another word from you about the death penalty.
If you're ever caught with pot in the States, don't bother complaining to anyone.
The laws are what they are.

I don't give a rat's rump about Roman Polanski. I wanted to make the above observations. Thanks. I appreciate it.

[Wezil]

I see your point, Wez. The law is what it is. He knew it was illegal and he did it anyway.

Do you disagree with laws preventing 40 year olds from having sex with 13 year olds?

Now, I never want to hear another word from you about the death penalty.

Yes, clearly this is the same argument.

If you're ever caught with pot in the States, don't bother complaining to anyone.
The laws are what they are.

No fear of that my friend. I don't travel to your country anymore (2004 was my last time). All my future travel plans take me elsewhere.

[SlowwHand]

Kind of like Polanski?

[Wezil]

He made the mistake of committing the crime in the US.

I have yet to commit any crimes (felonies anyway) in your country.

[loinburger]

He deserves to meet some nice people in prison here in the states.

Would you prefer he be assaulted, raped, murdered, or some combination of the three?

[chequita guevara]

What Polanski did was not statutory rape, but real rape. It was non-consensual. He certainly shouldn't have been given the light plea bargain, and the original judge was right to throw out the agreement. Polanski's lawyers should have told him that the judge is under no obligation to stick to the plea agreement sentencing recommendations.

[Winston]

Polanski - No longer a fugitive

Forget it, Roman. It's Switzerland.