Topic: Roman Polanski arrested

[northbloke]

I've just been reading here now that the Swiss police have arrested Roman Polanski over the 1978 sex case in the US!!!  

I'm dumb-founded that the Americans are still baying for his blood over this. I'm not condoning what he did but it was 31 years ago and even the victim herself has said she'd rather they just drop it.

I'm also confused as to why the Swiss police would even get involved...

[Kathy]

I don't know how I feel about this. I am quite liberal in matters of sex as long as it is among consenting adults. Shouldn't someone who has sex with a 13 year old child be punished no matter how long ago?

[richierich]

I don't know how I feel about this. I am quite liberal in matters of sex as long as it is among consenting adults. Shouldn't someone who has sex with a 13 year old child be punished no matter how long ago?

yes

[northbloke]

I don't know how I feel about this. I am quite liberal in matters of sex as long as it is among consenting adults. Shouldn't someone who has sex with a 13 year old child be punished no matter how long ago?

yes

Even when the victim herself has repeatedly stated that she'd rather the whole thing be dropped?

[addicted2dvd]

I personally say castrate the SOB... but that is coming from the POV of a parent of a 13yr old. In my eyes it don't really matter how long ago it was... if he is guilty of it that don't change with time. Though I do realize there is statutes of limitation on most all crimes in this country... and I don't know it for such a crime. But in my eyes if you are guilty... then you are guilty. No amount of time changes that fact.

As for the victim wanting to drop it already. That could be stemming from a place that is embarrassed and just sick of it all. And is to the point that they just don't care any longer. And I am sure I would want to forget the whole thing shortly after as well. But that has a little to do with it in my opinion. If it is something the legal system can take it upon themselves to charge him then he should be charged. If the victim has to be the one charging then he could be very lucky.

But that is just my POV and I know I'm not a very forgiving type when it comes to such a thing.

[Jimmy]

Not the kind of issue that I choose usually to get in. I've seen too many flame war initiate by this issue on another forum where I'm a member. So I'll prefer to keep it for me, but...

Before that go too far take the time to think that it was a different time where it was a free for all sex live and that the guy had lived 2 shock in his live before this.

Too bad that this will cause to forget the good news that a real criminal had died thursday when Susan Atkins had taken the first step for her trip in Hell.

[addicted2dvd]

At least on my side it won't be any flame wars. As I just have an opinion... I stated that opinion. And now it is done and over. I don't really care if anyone agrees with my opinion or not. I refuse to fight about such things. It makes for too much aggravation.   

[Touti]

Even when the victim herself has repeatedly stated that she'd rather the whole thing be dropped?

But is it really why he was arrested ?  30 years ago he pleaded guilty and spent 42 days in jail, then before getting his real sentence he decided to run away, left the United States and never returned.  So I'm wondering, what is he wanted for exactly, for having sex with a 13 years old or for fleeing justice ?

If the Americans are after him for fleeing justice then what his victim(s) think is irrelevant.

[DJ Doena]

Is fleeing justice a crime in itself? I would think that most of the criminals try to run, do they actually get a seperate charge for this?

btw: here's an CNN report on the events: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/27/zurich.roman.polanski.arrested/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

[northbloke]

Is fleeing justice a crime in itself? I would think that most of the criminals try to run, do they actually get a seperate charge for this?

As I understand it I don't believe they can be charged with anything until they are sentenced. After that then yes it's a crime. As he's never been officially sentenced (AFAIK) he can't be charged with anything else.

If others think this too contentious a suject I'm happy to let this thread die, but I just wanted to add one thing - do you think all this time, effort and money would have been spent over the last 31 years if the man hadn't been famous?

[Touti]

I guess I didn't clearly put what I meant.  

He pleaded guilty to reduced charges and then ran away.  What I meant by fleeing justice is he didn't respect the deal, obviously if the justice had know he was going to fly away they wouldn't have let him out of jail in the first place.  So as I said, why are they after him, for the sex thing or for being a fugitive ?

[richierich]

Last I will say on it.
I have a daughter, and I swear if a paedo would have taken advantage of her at an immature 13, I'd have killed the animal.

[Dragonfire]

I don't know exactly what he is wanted for either.  Though I believe that if someone pleads guilty to get a deal - like he did - and then ultimately takes off, law enforcement will go after people over that.  And since he has shown that he is a flight risk, he won't get the opportunity to do that again. 

Maybe this has gotten more attention from various law enforcement because he is famous.  The fact that he was trying to get the charges dropped earlier this year probably didn't help matters either.

[Kathy]

I don't know how I feel about this. I am quite liberal in matters of sex as long as it is among consenting adults. Shouldn't someone who has sex with a 13 year old child be punished no matter how long ago?

yes

Even when the victim herself has repeatedly stated that she'd rather the whole thing be dropped?

The most important thing is the feelings of the victim. If she were to be further traumatized by having to testify it is best to drop the matter. If the government is going after him for fleeing justice that might be something different. Another thing is it seems Polanski did not know her age...should that make a difference? Of course he has already suffered more than any court system could hand out with the loss of his wife and unborn child. The whole situation just makes me sad.

[Jimmy]

Shouldn't someone who has sex with a 13 year old child be punished no matter how long ago?

OK, I was not supposed to comment and I will not write my oppinion on this subject but everybody seems to have forgotten one fact. Roman Polansky was punished for this crime by the legal court system of the United States...

He had pleaded guilty in 1977 and was sentenced to 45 days in jail by a judge. He had passed those days in jail and completed his sentence. But after that the judge because of some pression had decided that he will retrial Polansky. Of course this is unconstitutional in the USA and any others country in the world who isn't a banana republic, you can't be accuse 2 time of the same crime if you were found already guilty in the past (imagine if that would be really the case ). The same situation would happen to me and I would flee the country also (not the sleeping with the 13 years old, but this masquerade of justice).

We have to understand that, like it or not, he was judged, sentenced and had completed his jail time. Even if he is extraded in the United States (something that I highly doubt), nothing more will happen and he will get out of the country as a free man.

Now the fact that his sentence was just or not is another story and had nothing to do with the actual situation.