Oscar-winning filmmaker Roman Polanski fled from the United States for France three decades ago before being sentenced on a charge of unlawful relationship with a minor.
He admitted having sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl whom he hired as a model during a photo session at actor Jack Nicholson's house. In spite of all this, he disagrees with the entire Los Angeles County court system regarding the way in which the sexual misconduct case related to him was handled.
75-year-old director’s attorneys filed court papers on Monday asking for dismissal of the charge "in the interests of justice" and also requesting that the matter was referred to the California Judicial Council for "selection of an impartial, out-of-county judicial officer." In order for his dismissal motion to be considered, Polanski must attend the 21st of January hearing personally. Still, Polanski's lawyers suggested that he has no intention to be present for the proceeding in front of Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza.
Polanski originally was accused on six charges, including rape, but he only pleaded guilty for the charge of having sex with an underage girl stressing upon the fact that the sex was consensual. The director faced the risk of spending up to 20 years in prison.
In documents referring the case it is mentioned that the girl pleaded with Polanski to stop throughout the encounter, saying, "Keep away" and "No. Come on. Stop it." The filmmaker is thought to have eventually “convinced” her to accept him by giving her several glasses of Champagne and a portion of a Quaalude pill. After that he took her into a hot tub nude and “proceeded to orally copulate this child, have sexual intercourse with this child, and sodomize this child,” the motion stated. After the incident, he warned her about telling her mother about what had happened, and in a moment of regret perhaps, he added: "You know, when I first met you I promised myself I wouldn't do anything like this with you."
Polanski’s victim, Samantha Geimer, now in her 40s and mother of three living in Hawaii, is willing to drop the charges against him, as she considers the fact that he is no danger to society, therefore, he should be allowed to return to the United States. Besides, the woman thinks that the director’s self imposed long exile from Hollywood has been enough punishment for him.
Polanski, who had already been incarcerated for a psychological diagnosis for 42 days, is to be immediately sentenced and sent back to prison the moment he sets foot on U.S soil.
The case was a sensation when it broke, as the famous director of “Rosemary’s Baby” and “Chinatown,” earned the public’s sympathy in 1969 for the murder of his then pregnant wife, actress Sharon Tate, by followers of serial killer Charles Manson.
