Will rich pedophile finally face justice? Polanski arrested in Switzerland

One has to take in the context of the time. In 1977, child sex was a hot thing among the rich & famous. Half a dozen child porn magazines were in international distribution, mainstream Lolita films were being shot by studios (i.e. Pretty Baby), porn companies would rent adjacent hotel rooms. In one room a legal hotty was having sex and in the adjacent room, a 10-11 year old was having sex with a boy and/or man. Finally, stage mothers were having their preteen daughters pose in mainstream magazines. 12 year old Eva Ionesco posed borderline X rated in French Playboy and 12 year old Brooke Shields posed nude in a photographer's magazine.

Roman thought he was going to use the old casting couch on the girl, but it went all wrong. Then, like some Hollywood folk, he was surprised when he was going to actually be held accountable for his actions-so he fled.

Normally, this case would've disappeared in the statute of limitations, but several years ago, California, like some states, did away with statute of limitations on child sex crimes. His arrest will most likely turn into an exercise of futilism and he'll return to France after some legal arguments take place.

If it was your daughter who was raped would you care?

I personally don't give a crap about what happens in this trial. It has nothing to do with strip clubs.

But considering this thread is already off topic, one of the most twisted films I have watched is "Hard Candy"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424136/
"A mature 14-year old girl meets a charming 32-year old photographer on the Internet. Suspecting that he is a pedophile, she goes to his home in an attempt to expose him. "

The movie starts off making you hate the 32 year old pedophile but then the twisted 14 year old girl turns the tables and you start to feel sorry for the guy because of all the shit the girl put him through (forced castration, etc.). Very interesting twist to this movie.

I never heard of this before so I looked it up using google.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnew…


"Roman Polanski, th Oscar-winning director, faces extradition to the US after being arrested in Zurich on a 31-year-old arrest warrant for having sex with an under-age girl.
He was in the Swiss City for the Zurich Film Festival and due to receive an award on Sunday.
But detectives took the 76-year-old into custody after raiding his hotel.
The Swiss justice ministry said on Sunday that Mr Polanski was being held under a 2005 international alert issued by the US government related to a 1978 arrest warrant.
He will not be sent to the US until extradition proceedings were complete, the ministry added.
He can contest his detention and any extradition decision in the Swiss courts.
Polanski was arrested in the late 1970s and charged with giving drugs and alcohol to a 13-year-old girl and having unlawful sex with her at Jack Nicholson’s Hollywood home. He maintained that the girl was sexually experienced and had consented.
Polanski pleaded guilty to having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and spent 42 days in prison undergoing psychiatric tests. He fled the country in 1978 before being sentenced.
Two months ago Polanski asked a California appeals court to overturn a judge's refusal to consider his request to throw out a 1977 case in which he pleaded guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old girl.
Judge Peter Espinoza agreed there was misconduct by the judge in the original case, but said Mr Polanski must return to the US to apply for dismissal.
The victim at the centre of the case, Samantha Geimer, has previously asked for the charges to be dropped, saying the continued publication of details "causes harm to me, my husband and children".
Polanski, who now lives permanently in Paris, is considered an international fugitive.
His Oscar for directing the 2002 The Pianist was collected by Harrison Ford, who had previously starred in his 1988 thriller, Frantic.
A statement from the organisers of the film festival stated: “Roman Polanski, one of the greatest film directors of our time, would have received an award for his life’s achievement at the Zurich Film Festival.
France’s culture minister says he is “dumbfounded" by the arrest. of the director, who is a french citizen.
Frederic Mitterrand said he “strongly regrets that a new ordeal is being inflicted on someone who has already experienced so many of them”."

Seeking underage = sick (as in mentally ill)
Not even a topic suitable for joking about.

"Seeking underage = sick (as in mentally ill)
Not even a topic suitable for joking about."

Actually, I wish I could remember some of the amusing jokes about lovable and perhaps a pedophile Michael Jackson. I'm definitely a fan of Michael Jackson and I think he was a pedophile---could be I'm wrong.

Do I care that he might have been a pedophile? Nope, but that isn't important in the least. What I found interesting is that other Michael Jackson fans that I spoke with didn't care---that was a surprise in that many of these same folks were very anti-pedophile. His stardom was just more important to these folks. A human idol to worship.

"Since he was 99% plastic, Michael Jackson should be melted down into lego blocks so little boys can play with him for change."----this joke was googled and so so, but I heard many a funny Michael Jackson pedophile jokes.

How will Roman like it when Bubba gives him a dose of his own medicine?

"How will Roman like it when Bubba gives him a dose of his own medicine?"

With his wealth, he'll probably be treated like royalty. :) Anyway, he seems like the victim. Hopefully, his attorneys can clean up this mess in his favor once and for all. Based on what little I know, he should soon be a free man who won't have this legal BS hanging over his head.

I wonder what the real deal with his case is. Seems like there has to be more than sex with a young girl some 30 years ago and when I read a very brief bio on his sad life it was like damn, what a shame. :(

I'd like to contribute $10 and a note of encouragement to his attorneys. Just a friendly gesture as I'm sure that, that isn't even a penny to him.

Instructive, jablake. Sick, demented, sad, disgusting...but instructive.

Hi how,

I thought you'd appreciate it and composed it with you in mind. :)

When I was young my mentor was a good ol' boy. The South please, remember. Anyway, I see this wild looking old man with these young babes about I'd guess 13 or 14. It wouldn't even occur to me any "crime" was being comitted by the old man to these "children." Nor did the police or anyone else seem to see a "crime." The whole idea was completely absurd because the young girls were looking very happy and the old man was definitely 100% happy---like he be in heaven. :)

My immediate reaction to being informed that the wild looking old man was my mentor's father was NO WAY! Stop joking. Sure 'nough my mentor confirmed that it was his lovable old Dad. He was impressed by how much the ladies----women and girls who'd reached puberty---just loved his Dad. He was telling incredible stories about his Dad's sexual power. Even as a young stud---these stories impressed. Dad was a superman. Alas, my mentor confided that he didn't have nearly as much charm nor more importantly the sexual power.

Now to those with your panties in a bunch about young girls enjoying sex with an old man---I have a bone to throw to you that should make you very happy. Happy, happy, happy. Sure his Dad never got abused with sex "crimes," but he did spend more years of life in prison than with the ladies. His Dad was a crazy crime wave---public brawling with his buddies, destruction of public property, tresspassing, extortion . . . and seemingly endless list of crimes. I asked doesn't your Dad learn? Mentor replied that his Dad didn't give a damn what the law said and he'd comit crimes right in front of the police. A true rebel. :) Not too bright, but a true rebel! We need more men like his father.

This is real simple...

He broke the law and should "pay" the consequences of his actions.

"He broke the law and should 'pay' the consequences of his actions."

His lawyers and a judge may see it far differently. :) Hell, he should get damages from the dimwitted taxpayers plus his lawyers' fees reimbursed in full.

"Polanski had reached a deal with Los Angeles prosecutors to plead guilty to the sex charge and receive 42 days in prison for psychiatric tests -- time he had already served. But Polanski believed the judge might overrule the plea and sentence him to as much as 50 years in jail." http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.reut…

So accountablity means he could receive as little as 42 days (time he already served) or 50 years at the whim of a judge?

Yes indeed this is a nasty vile country and Roman was smart and ethical to feel such so called "justice" and filth of law. Perhaps my faith in the legal process is misplaced, but this time Roman may actually get real justice.

jablake,

The sun will "rise" in the east tomorrow morning.

"The sun will "rise" in the east tomorrow morning."

That is like saying the Constitution is a joke.

Just seeing if you would even comment on something so elemental! Not worth my time!

As I understand it, he took topless photos of this 13 year old after showing her a Vogue magazine saying that she could be a model just like the girls in the magazine. He then took her down to Jack Nicholson's house, did the jacuzzi and got her drunk with champagne and gave her some drugs to get her even more loopy. He then took her into the house and while she kept asking to go home he took off her underwear and went around the world sexually with her. She testified that she was afraid of him and just wanted to go home... This girl was 13...

I'm wondering if this guy would get the pass so many seem willing to extend to him were he say... a Catholic Priest or a school teacher or a police officer or a Doctor or a College athlete or your neighbor... I'm thinking not so much...

Of course, I'm not a fan of 44 year old men who exploit, manipulate and then have sex with 13 year old girls-- but that's just me.

"I'm wondering if this guy would get the pass so many seem willing to extend to him were he say... a Catholic Priest or a school teacher or a police officer or a Doctor or a College athlete or your neighbor... I'm thinking not so much... "

More of a pass. But, the more rural setting that I was raised age wasn't the big bugaboo assuming the "child" had reached puberty. The issue was more about family and an extended family at that.

"Of course, I'm not a fan of 44 year old men who exploit, manipulate and then have sex with 13 year old girls-- but that's just me."

I'm not a fan of people who lump all generational sex as being a crime. Not to say an old man or old woman having sex with a "child" couldn't be viewed as a crime in my community, but it would depend on the individual facts of each case. Apparently looking at individual cases is just too difficult so the "sexual predator" is created along with a fear frenzy. Brilliant, if you appreciate a prison state. Also, it seems almost impossible that an old woman having sex with a young male would ever be seen as a crime in my community. The young boy would typically be viewed as being lucky! In this sick society it now prison time for the older woman and a phoney label of "sexual predator."

Oh and perhaps this gentleman actually comitted a real crime----I wouldn't presume it even if he pled guilty! Or even if he voluntarily admitted to sex with a 13 year old child----the relationship between him and the child would be very important, whether drugs were used would be very important, knowledge of the parents would be very important, etc. etc. etc. When the government is threatening a person with hundreds of years the best course maybe to do a plea even if innocent especially if it is doubtful a judge will allow a real defense.

"Just seeing if you would even comment on something so elemental! Not worth my time!"

DUH! And, yes it was worth your time. :)

driver01,

It is not just you!

"By Tuesday, more than 130 heavyweights in the movie industry had taken up Polanski's cause.

An online petition has been signed by directors such as Marin Scorsese, Woody Allen and Pedro Almodovar, as well as actors.

Studio chief Harvey Weinstein told CNN in a statement: 'We are calling every filmmaker we can to help fix this terrible situation.'" http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/09/29/ho…

I'm very proud of these big stars and other "heavyweights" that have the balls to come forward and say enough already. Especially with all the hysteria about "sexual predators" and "child porn." In some U.S. states 13 and perhaps even lower was legal marrying age and "child" porn could be freely purchased. Pass some laws and do some media scare stories and the cattle class will believe and do anything.

As I related earlier this wild old man, a total rebel, had 2 very young girls---13 and 14 or thereabout---and it wasn't even seen as crime. In fact, most people would be shocked that there was any issue as long as the girls were happy and the parents weren't objecting. I guess sex wasn't seen as so evil back in the good old days? Or, maybe it was because there were such close ties in the community. I didn't personally know the wild old man with the young girls, but I felt close to him just by watching the way his conducted himself. True, he did go overboard and imo rightly did jail time for real crimes that he was guilty of. Thank god he didn't suffer any government BS sex crimes.

So if some people wanted to crazy over an age difference between a girl who has reached puberty and an older man, well knock yourselfs out. :) Now, if there was real rape that is a different story. His plea deal wasn't about real rape, but rather the government's creation of sexual misconduct that is based on ageism and a view of sex as dirty or taboo.

The government and its fraudulent prosecutor (prosecutor admits to lying about trying to influence the judge) are the ones who need to be held "accountable."