Roman Polanski - villain or victim or both?

[Rick Lee]

I just watched a fascinating documentary on HBO about his legal battle and endless limbo. I never knew much about it and I was cooking during most of the doc. So I missed some of it. But it seems to me this court case was a bigger fiasco than OJ's was, though the judge was completely corrupt and willfully deceptive in Polanski's case. They had plenty of interview footage, both then and recent, with all the characters in the case, except for the judge. The prosecutor even told Polanski's lawyer that the judge couldn't be trusted to keep his word, the judge wanted Polanski to waive some rights and the judge even told someone privately that he planned to nail Polanski no matter what the psych. evaluations or DA recommended. The girl he statutorily "raped" seems to be fine now, she and her family settled a civil case with Polanski and publicly forgave him. Is there any point in his still being at risk of arrest if he comes back to the U.S.?

[Mule]

Let's see, the guy likes to bang children, I'm going with villain!

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by Mule

Let's see, the guy likes to bang children, I'm going with villain!

+1

He is a pedophile he raped an underage girl (statutory or not) and then fled the country to keep from facing the charges.

Some members here get all ruffled up when an actor thinks people care about their political views (modern day court jesters is what I think they are and could not care less what they drive, think, or eat) and boycott their work.

I boycott this clown and Woody Allen the other pedophile, I find them more offensive than any actor who thinks that people actually care what they have to say.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Jim Cesiro

+1

He is a pedophile he raped an underage girl (statutory or not) and then fled the country to keep from facing the charges.

I'm not defending his behvaior with the girl, but he DID face the charges. He only fled when it became clear that the judge was going to ignore the plea deal he'd made and the DA was pretty hot at the judge about it too. Polanski spent 42 days in psych. evaluation when the judge sentenced him to 90 days of it. It's not Polanski's fault the hospital said there was no point in keeping him there any longer after 42 days. Seems to me the judge should have been removed from the case, if not the bench, and Polanski given a complete new trial.

[m21sniper]

Villian.

PS: US judges are not legally bound to adhere to any plea bargain deal that they feel does not serve the purposes of justice. And PSS: Polanski only heard a rumor that the judge was not going to honor the deal. The judge himself never stated in advance he would do so.

Polanski is a pedophile.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I'm not defending his behvaior with the girl, but he DID face the charges. He only fled when it became clear that the judge was going to ignore the plea deal he'd made and the DA was pretty hot at the judge about it too. Polanski spent 42 days in psych. evaluation when the judge sentenced him to 90 days of it. It's not Polanski's fault the hospital said there was no point in keeping him there any longer after 42 days. Seems to me the judge should have been removed from the case, if not the bench, and Polanski given a complete new trial.

Let me see, rich dude bangs child, get's caught, disagrees with judge on sentence, hauls ass, villain. There are dirtbag judges coast to coast with way worse results.

Check the story of Adler "Barry" Seal. This guy brought down the Medellin cartel.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKseal.htm

[Rick Lee]

I know the story of Barry Seal, one of the Clinton/Mena characters.

Again, I agree that Polanski needed to be punished for his crime. But the judge's behavior made it just about certain that Polanski would have a serious grounds for appeal. I can certainly understand why, after so much back and forth and the whole media circus, Polanski just figured he'd never get a fair sentencing and the judge was gonna do what he wanted to do. I mean, when the DA even said the judge was on a mission to make himself look good in the press and was gonna use Polanski to further his image, that pretty much means it's a fiasco.

This is separate from Polanski's crime, but the girl's mom exhibited judgment similar to that of those parents who let their kids sleep over at Michael Jackson's house.

[Neilk]

They were talking about it on Stern last week. Per their conversation, Polanski drugged the girl with alcohol and qualudes and then raped and sodomized her. He should have faced the time and then appealed if he thought the judge was corrupt. No sympathy for the guy. It's not like he is suffering in France... oh yeah, he also supposedly "dated" Natashi Kinski when she was 15.

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by Mule

Let me see, rich dude bangs child, get's caught, disagrees with judge on sentence, hauls ass, villain. There are dirtbag judges coast to coast with way worse results.

Check the story of Adler "Barry" Seal. This guy brought down the Medellin cartel.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKseal.htm

Damn, that's a hell of a story.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

Damn, that's a hell of a story.

This redneck judge forced the guy who brought down the Medellin cartel to show up at the same place, every night, by 11:00 pm. What a stunner that they killed him. Nobody saw that coming!

[Mule]

Originally Posted by Neilk

They were talking about it on Stern last week. Per their conversation, Polanski drugged the girl with alcohol and qualudes and then raped and sodomized her. He should have faced the time and then appealed if he thought the judge was corrupt. No sympathy for the guy. It's not like he is suffering in France... oh yeah, he also supposedly "dated" Natashi Kinski when she was 15.

I didn't realize he anesthetized her before he raped her. That's totally different!

Natashi Kinski, God was she fine!


I might watch Cat People again tonight!

[Dottore]

I think he was 90 % victim and 10 % too stoned to think clearly.

I happen to know Roman Polanski. The girl was an overdeveloped teenager that was pushed on Polanski by her own starfrigger mother. So they got high and one thing led to another. The girl has publicly not only forgiven him, but has expressed her dismay that such a big deal was made of the incident in the first place.

It was clear the judge had a hard on for Polanski - and that he wasn't going to get fair trial. Think how you might react if you we're hauled up in some kangaroo court in some distant land for an offense that should never have been charged in the first place.

Statutory rape is one of the most problematic offenses out there. There are often many shades of grey - girls lying about their age etc. Polanski should have been more circumspect - but when it was clear he was going to be crucified by some pin-head judge with an attitude, and a media that still somehow blamed him for "not being there for Sharon" he legged it. And I don't blame him one bit.

He's led a very successful life in Paris. Oh yes, and this will come as no surprise, in Europe virtually everyone sees him as the victim.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by Dottore

I think he was 90 % victim and 10 % too stoned to think clearly.

I happen to know Roman Polanski. The girl was an overdeveloped teenager that was pushed on Polanski by her own starfrigger mother. So they got high and one thing led to another. The girl has publicly not only forgiven him, but has expressed her dismay that such a big deal was made of the incident in the first place.

It was clear the judge had a hard on for Polanski - and that he wasn't going to get fair trial. Think how you might react if you we're hauled up in some kangaroo court in some distant land for an offense that should never have been charged in the first place.

Statutory rape is one of the most problematic offenses out there. There are often many shades of grey - girls lying about their age etc. Polanski should have been more circumspect - but when it was clear he was going to be crucified by some pin-head judge with an attitude, and a media that still somehow blamed him for "not being there for Sharon" he legged it. And I don't blame him one bit.

He's led a very successful life in Paris. Oh yes, and this will come as no surprise, in Europe virtually everyone sees him as the victim.

Birds of a feather eh? If you can vigorously defend murdering Communists, I guess it's a small step to pedophiles. After all, he was only 45 and she was all of 13! Natasha at 15 was OK too right? I bet when she was 15 she must've looked at least uh 15! This may come as a stunner but when you find out a girl is under age you're supposed to walk away. I don't care how willing she is. To do otherwise is called pedophilia! Great post from a great poster!

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Mule

Let's see, the guy likes to bang children, I'm going with villain!

I agree that child molesters should rot in hell, but is banging a 17 y.o. girl who has been sexually active for a couple years or more, (not talking rape, but consensual), the same as child molesting? I think it's a little grey, (legal in some states), doubt that the *victim* would be so forgiving if it was actually a brutal crime.

I want to stop short of defending him, just have my doubts.

EDIT: Girl was 13?? OK, nevermind what I wrote.

[Mule]

45yo guy giving alcohol & ludes to a 13 yo girl prior to ass raping her is pretty open & shut, unless you are Polanski or Dottore!

[vash]

what happened to the girl?

[Dottore]

Well I know you guys like your moral indignation - and you are welcome to it. Howard Stern eh? Great source there.

There are many versions of the so called "rape" story. I'm suggesting the case was not as clear cut as the Howard Sterns of this world present it. But "fugitive rapist" makes for great press, and that's what seems to stick. There is no question in my mind that Polanski would have been railroaded had he stayed for the proceedings. The kind of posts I'm reading here tend to confirm this. People who have no frigging clue about the case hear "13 year old girl" and "sex" and that is the end of the matter.

Polanski has won many awards and lifetime honors since this incident. He is a highly regarded artist in the rest of the world. But in some circles in the US people still can't get over this incident, even though even the "victim" is long over it.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by vash

what happened to the girl?

I didn't catch what she's doing for a living now, but she was interviewed for the documentary and seemed to have moved on long ago and is not hung up on this at all.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by Dottore

Well I know you guys like your moral indignation - and you are welcome to it. Howard Stern eh? Great source there.

There are many versions of the so called "rape" story. I'm suggesting the case was not as clear cut as the Howard Sterns of this world present it. But "fugitive rapist" makes for great press, and that's what seems to stick. There is no question in my mind that Polanski would have been railroaded had he stayed for the proceedings. The kind of posts I'm reading here tend to confirm this. People who have no frigging clue about the case hear "13 year old girl" and "sex" and that is the end of the matter.

Polanski has won many awards and lifetime honors since this incident. He is a highly regarded artist in the rest of the world. But in some circles in the US people still can't get over this incident, even though even the "victim" is long over it.

More defense of the indefensible. Here's a link to the wiki version of the story, which I doubt will satisfy your desire for veracity, as the only defense you have ever attempted was to decry the facts as not reliable. I'm still curious. Since you think it was OK for Polanski to drug a 13 YO and rape her...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Polanski

[Pazuzu]

Do you guys always let Mule talk like this? In my very short stint here in Off Topic, he's stood out in the crowd for saying stuff that shouldn't be said, even behind the veil of the internet...