[Dueller]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I've looked into this and can 't find any facts that state he had a plea bargain. Every news report I can find says he was put away for a 90 day psychiatric evaluation in preparation for sentencing.
Interestingly enough, one of the news reports says, "... the law provides automatic deportation for those convicted of crimes of moral turpitude who are sentenced to one year or more in prison." If that is correct, he wouldn't spend more than a year in prison here under any circumstances.

From another Polanski thread...clearly there was a plea bargain in place..

Originally Posted by Dueller

Not trying to defend Polanski, but my most recent statutory rape client was a nobody college student and it was plea bargained down to a contributing to delinquency charge (misdemeanor) and got 1 yr probation, a $1000 fine and did not have to register as a sex offe3nder for the rest of his life, so I don't buy his celebrity as the sole reason he was able to cut a deal.

Not trying to blame the victim but in my client's case as well as the Polanski case there were mitigating factors and a family that did not want to put the victim on the witness stand and parents who did not see where putting a person in jail would serve any real purpose. And in my case the judge was willing to accept the recommendations of the prosecutor, psychologists, investigators, and victim's family and not renege on a plea deal for his own ambition. While Polanski's actions were abhorrent and he deserved punishment, its not as if he picked an innocent child of chaste character up at a playground.

See the attached letter ffrom the victim's lawyer given to the judge at the hearing where Polanski enter his plea BEFORE the got wind the judge was not going to accept the plea. Keep in mind Polanski would not have pled guilty had the plea bargain not been struck. So it has been the victim's and her parents' desire to not incarcerate Polanski long before now.





Of course Polanski really complicated his legal troubles by fleeing the country. IMHO that may be more serious from a legal perspective than his sex act.