Director Polanski arrested over sex charge
 

Filmmaker Roman Polanski has been arrested on an arrest warrant stemming from a decades-old sex charge, Swiss police say. The Academy Award-winning director pleaded guilty in 1977 to having sex with a 13-year-old girl in the United States, but fled the country before he could be sentenced

He was en route to the Zurich Film Festival, which is holding a tribute to him, when he was arrested by Swiss authorities, the festival said.

Sad to read that. But if it's a matter of justice, time does not matter.

Ironic that Susan Atkins died just three days ago...

I don't get this. How can he have been arrested in Switzerland for a US warrant? He's been in Europe for years and there has been no action on this, yet he goes to smowehere that is deilberately neutral and gets arrested? Can someone clarify the legal issue here?

He has been living in France which doesn't have an extradition treaty with the US for certain crimes of French citizens. Switzerland does. There has been a worldwide standing arrest warrant for Polanski for almost 30 years since he fled the US.

I think this case should finally be resolved. The victim wants it all dropped. The judge that renegged on the plea deal is dead. Sending Polanski to prison now serves no purpose.

Ah, now I get it. Didn't know Switzerland had an extradition treaty with US. I agree with your opinion regarding this case but because he's high profile the US will want to be seen to be doing something. Not that I am condoning his actions AT ALL but all the same, if the viction has expressed her wishes and the original judge has died then there's not much left other than the authorities to look good which, ironically, they may not...

It occurs to me just now that this award may have been a setup.
Does that "sound about right?"

P.S. - My Dad just pointed out to me that Polanski may be able to drag this out for the rest of his life by appealing the extradition.
So it might not matter, at least in a way.

Just read today that he can't leave Switzerland, if he gets out on bail, until this is resolved.