The 13-year-old girl that famed film director Roman Polanski gave champagne and Quaaludes to before raping over 30 years ago at Jack Nicholson’s house is now 45 and pleading with California courts to dismiss their case against him. Samantha Geimer argues that every time the case is revisited, she’s forced to relive the horrid details of the rape and the public’s reaction. Geimer told People magazine in 1997 that, when her mother decided to legally pursue Roman Polanski for having sex with a minor in March of 1977, her life turned upside down. European tabloids plastered pictures of her with captions like “Little Lolita” saying “’Poor Roman Polaski’, entrapped by a 13-year-old temptress.” Although Samantha Geimer and her family sued Roman Polanski and reached a settlement outside of court, Los Angeles prosecutors are exercising their legal right to further pursue the case.

Thirty years ago Roman Polanski, who holds dual Polish-French citizenship, “[pled] guilty to a single count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor,” but fled the country before his sentencing in fear that the judge would not comply with the agreed plea deal and sentence him to prison. When authorities learned that Polanski was planning to attend a film festival in Zurich, Switzerland to receive a lifetime achievement award, Swiss police arrested Polanski on U.S. request in the sex case.

Roman Polanski is currently behind bars in Switzerland and could stay in prison for as long as three to four months while he fights deportation to the United States. Polanski, who has a chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland but is not a Swiss resident, is working with a Swiss attorney on his release from prison during the lengthy extradition and appeals process. “But such releases are rare for nonresidents in Switzerland, who are generally deemed to be flight risks.”

Samantha Geimer and numerous celebrities, including Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese, may object to his arrest and demand his release from the Swiss jail, but this matter is now a case between the state of California and Polanski’s defense attorneys. Given that there is no statue of limitations for criminal activity, like sexual assault, and Polanski failed to face his punishment 30 years ago, the state has the right to prosecute criminals.

Whose judgment ultimately matters – the victim, the court of public opinion, or the judicial system? If Polanski’s case is overturned would it be just another case of a celebrity escaping punishment for their crime?

Posted by Adrienne on September 29, 2009 at 6:27 pm.