Polanski Sues to Overturn Child Sex Conviction

Roman Polanski is suing to dismiss a child molestation conviction against him 31 years after he fled to France to dodge sentencing, reports the Los Angeles Times. The director of Chinatown, Rosemary’s Baby, and The Pianist  admitted to having sex with a 13-year-old girl, but now is citing new evidence of misconduct by the judge and prosecutors revealed in an HBO documentary on the case.

Polanski's lawyers filed a motion in LA Superior Court yesterday claiming the documentary revealed a pattern of "unlawful" misconduct and "improper communications” between the judge and a former deputy district attorney. The former deputy DA insists he did nothing wrong. Polanski, now a French citizen, was origninally charged with rape, but pled guilty to once count of having sex with a minor; the girl said Polanski plied her with champagne and drugs after a photo shoot, then had sex with her.
(More Roman Polanski stories.)