French-Polish film director Roman Polanski is considered one of the most talented people in his field. He is also one of the most controversial and, to some, the most despicable as well.

Born in Paris, Polanski spent most of his early childhood surviving the Holocaust. After moving to the United States, he became a successful director and struck stardom with the megahit films Rosemary’s Baby and Chinatown.

Polanski garnered nationwide sympathy in 1969 when his pregnant wife, actress Sharon Tate, was murdered by the Manson “Family.” Eight years later, however, Polanski was on the other side of public opinion after being charged with drugging and raping a thirteen-year-old girl. The outrage escalated the following year, when Polanski, upon learning he was facing significant prison time, fled the country.

Polanski, now ninety-years-old, is still an American fugitive, having lived mostly in his native France. The director is disgraced in the eyes of many, but he continues to make films in Europe, including The Pianist, which won the Oscar for Best Picture of 2002.

Some, including Polanski’s rape victim, believe the matter should be dropped. Others believe his fleeing was an act of cowardice and that The Pianist director, even after all this time, should still be brought to face the music.

Roman Polanski

On March 10, 1977, Roman Polanski photographed thirteen-year-old Samantha Gailey for part of his guest-editing the French edition of Vogue. Samantha’s mother, Susan, an actress and model, had given her permission for her to participate in the photo shoot. The session occurred at the Los Angeles home of actor Jack Nicholson, who was out of town at the time.

Samantha says during the photo shoot that Polanski gave her champagne and a sedative and, despite her repeated protests, he performed multiple oral, vaginal, and anal sex acts upon her. Polanski claimed the sex was willing, although, by law, Samantha could not consent because she was a minor.

Samantha Gailey

A grand jury indicted Polanski on five charges:

• Rape by use of drugs
• Perversion
• Sodomy
• Lewd and lascivious act upon a child under fourteen
• Furnishing a controlled substance to a minor

Those charges were dismissed under a plea bargain in which Polanski pled guilty to the lesser charge of engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. He spent forty-two days undergoing psychiatric evaluation in prison in preparation for sentencing.

Polanski, in agreeing to the plea bargain, expected to be placed on probation; upon learning that Judge Laurence Rittenband planned to imprison him, he fled to London on February 1, 1978. A day later he traveled to his native France, where he still held citizenship.

Consistent with its extradition treaty with the United States, France can refuse to extradite its citizens, and an extradition request filed by the United States was denied.

Roman Gets Running

Roman Polanski has been roaming across Europe for nearly thirty–six years, but he has avoided traveling to countries, such as the United Kingdom, that are likely to extradite him. He has continued to direct films while living in France, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Poland.

The statute of limitations on statutory rape does not apply in Polanski’s case because he had already been charged and pled guilty in 1978 to having had unlawful sex with a minor. Judge Rittenband, the judge who planned to sentence Polanski to prison, has passed away, and some legal experts believe if Polanski returned to the United States he would face no jail time for unlawful sexual acts with a minor. His failure to appear at sentencing, however, is in itself a crime for which he could be imprisoned.

Roman’s Still Roaming

On September 26, 2009, Polanski was detained by Swiss police at Zurich Airport while trying to enter Switzerland where he planned to attend the Zurich Film Festival to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. American investigators had learned of his planned trip from a fax sent on September 22 from the Swiss Justice Ministry to the United States Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and requested that Swiss authorities apprehend Polanski.

The arrest, however, did not lead to a major development in the over three-decade ordeal. The warrant and extradition request were subject to judicial review by the Swiss Federal Criminal Court as well as the Federal Supreme Court. On July 12, 2010, the Swiss court rejected the United States request for Polanski’s extradition, and he was released from custody.

Arrested, But No Development

Polanski’s victim, now known as Samantha Geimer, sued him in 1988, alleging sexual assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and seduction. The case was settled out of court in 1993.

After Polanski missed an October 1995 payment deadline, Geimer filed papers with the court, attempting to collect the money. The court held that Polanski owed her over $600,000, but I could not find whether the money has been paid.

In a 2003 interview, Samantha Geimer said, “Straight up, what he did to me was wrong. But I wish he would return to America so the whole ordeal can be put to rest for both of us” and “. . . he made a terrible mistake but he’s paid for it.”

In another interview five years later, Geimer stated she wishes Polanski would be forgiven, saying, “I think he’s sorry, I think he knows it was wrong. I don’t think he’s a danger to society. I don’t think he needs to be locked up forever.” She added, “It was 30 years ago now. It’s an unpleasant memory . . . (but) I can live with it.”

 

Samantha Forgives Roman

SOURCES:

• BBC News
• Daily Mail (London)
• Internet Movie Database
• Los Angeles Times
• NBC News
• New York Times
• People Magazine
• Slate Magazine