Director Roman Polanski, who has been hiding in France for 31 years from an arrest warrant for having had sex with a 13 year-old girl, has been arrested in Switzerland:
ZURICH (AP) — Director Roman Polanski has been taken into custody by Swiss police on a 31-year-old U.S. arrest warrant, organizers of the Zurich Film Festival said Sunday.
The organizers said in a statement that Polanski was detained by police Saturday in relation to a 1978 U.S. request, without giving details.
Zurich police spokesman Stefan Oberlin confirmed Polanski’s arrest, but refused to provide more details because he said it was a matter for the Swiss Justice Ministry.
Ministry spokesman Guido Balmer declined to comment.
Polanski fled the United States in 1978, a year after pleading guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl.
The 76-year-old director of such classic films as ”Chinatown” and ”Rosemary’s Baby” recently sought dismissal of his case on grounds of misconduct by the now-deceased judge who had arranged a plea bargain and then reneged on it.
Polanski has lived for the past three decades in France, where his career has continued to flourish. He received a directing Oscar in absentia for the 2002 movie ”The Pianist”
Welcome to Hollywood’s next trial of the century.
September 27th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Switzerland, once the last resort of impartiality and refuge, first gives up thousands of names of private bank accounts to the U.S. Government, and now has arrested long suffering Polanski at the behest of the U.S. Have the Swiss become so afraid of the U.S. that they have sacrificed the ideals that made the country so unique and respected?
September 27th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Mike Williams, if Polanski is a Republican or Bush’s friend, I’m sure you woulld applaud the arrest. Too bad, Polanski is a Hollywood member and a friend of Clintion.
September 27th, 2009 at 11:26 am
How many daughters do you have Mike?
September 27th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Long suffering Polanski…
Do you have a daughter, Mike? Oh, and did you have any private bank accounts in Switzerland?
September 27th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Actually Polanski was a supporter of Reagan in the early 80s. And hated Carter.
September 27th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
why are they arresting him now after all these years?
September 27th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Because he was hiding in France
September 27th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Another pervert democrat goes down in flames!
September 28th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Instead of acting responsible and considerate of his victim, Polanski chose to go on the run as a coward would do. He has flaunted the criminal justice system and made a mockery of american jurisprudence. Just because he has endured tragedy in his persoanl life does not mean he should get a free pass onthis matter.
September 29th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Scum Bag old fart being with a 13 year old and then fleeing. Who cares how long, IT IS ABOUT TIME!!!