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Swiss Shoot Down Polanski's Freedom Bid

Says director would likely flee

By the Associated Press

Posted Oct 6, 2009 7:53 AM CDT
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(AP) – The Swiss Justice Ministry has rejected an appeal from Roman Polanski to be released from prison pending his possible extradition to the United States. The government believes there is a high risk that Polanski might flee if released from custody, a military spokesman tells the AP. The appeal is separate from a court case Polanski's legal team filed last week that also seeks the 76-year-old director's freedom.

Polanski was apprehended Sept. 26 as he arrived in Zurich to receive an award from a film festival. US authorities asked for his arrest and want him extradited for having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl.

Filmmaker Roman Polanski's Swiss lawyer, Lorenz Erni, leaves his office, on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009.
Filmmaker Roman Polanski's Swiss lawyer, Lorenz Erni, leaves his office, on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009.   (AP Photo/Keystone, Steffen Schmidt)
Roman Polanski arrives for the opening ceremony at the 8th Marrakech Film Festival in Marrakech in this Nov. 14 2008 file photo.
Roman Polanski arrives for the opening ceremony at the 8th Marrakech Film Festival in Marrakech in this Nov. 14 2008 file photo.   (ABDELJALIL BOUNHAR)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 10 comments
Robert_Dada
Oct 6, 2009 11:49 AM CDT
If Samantha Geimer wanted to pursue his prosecution, then I would support it. As it is, she wants this to all go away because every time the media and you 'faux' moralists on here reopen the case, it rips open scars in her that harms her and her family. Let it end. Follow Samantha's wishes. Show some f*cking respect for the victim instead of trying to pump up your phony sense of 'justice'.
godawgs
Oct 6, 2009 6:36 AM CDT
I didn't know that drugging and then raping a 13 year old got translated into "having sex" in the summary. Great job newser.
So_Cal_Larry
Oct 6, 2009 6:06 AM CDT
Mr. Polanski negotiated a sweetheart plea deal to a 'lesser crime' rather than go to trial for the seven much more serious crimes with which he was charges, including sodomy on a drugged child. He pleaded guilty to that lesser crime with the expectation that he would serve fewer than 90 days in a cushy California prison hospital before going onto parole. The judge was NOT buying such a sweetheart deal. Imagine drugging, raping, sodomizing a 13-year-old girl and serving 90 days as punishment.

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Switzerland • fugitive • extradition • Roman Polanski • statutory rape • flight risk • Swiss Justice Ministry

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