Elinda wrote:
LockeColeMA wrote:
Jail him. He's already been found guilty of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Fleeing the country for over three decades to escape your sentence doesn't absolve it. He's done some great things in film, but we're not judging him on his career; he should be jailed for his crime. His character and his age don't really come into play. Prosecutors says he drugged and raped a 13-year old, and while he plead the charge down, he is still guilty of it.
An interesting fact is the rape victim doesn't think he should be jailed. Not sure how that would factor into it.
There have been claims that the judge was 'persuaded' to throw the book at Polanski. Not sure how credible or if there is evidence to such.
If there is a retrial the victim says she'll drop charges.
I guess there's the issue. He's already been tried and convicted. His only real chance to get away is a retrial or clemency granted by the president. And while I'm not sure about those claims, there is the fact he gave the girl drugs and alcohol and did all sorts of things to her... when she was 13. I know normally in the US that would be at least a decade in jail plus sex offender status. I think it is kind of sickening that he should get away with it just because he fled the country for thirty years. The woman who was raped said she would drop the charges simply because of the ongoing trauma when the case keeps coming up; she wants it over one way or the other, although she thinks "he made a mistake."
I'd say go with the original verdict.
Apparently he was originally charged with "rape by use of drugs, perversion, sodomy, lewd and lascivious act upon a child under 14, and furnishing a controlled substance (methaqualone) to a minor." (So sayeth the wiki, amen). Sounds like the book was thrown at him, but as he eventually pled guilty only to engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, I don't think it matters much whether the book was thrown or not.