Refusing to extradite 82-year-old Academy Awarding winning director Roman Polanski on 38-year-old statuary raped charges, Polish authorities confirmed a lower Krakow court’s ruling that the evidence did not justify extradition. Krakow’s appellate prosecutor agreed with the lower court’s ruling that no evidence existed to reverse the earlier ruling denying extradition. “Speaking for Polanski, I can say that we feel a great relief that this case has ended,” said Jan Olszewski, one oh Polanski’s private lawyers. “And this means that it will be possible for Polanski to start making a planned film in Poland,” antagonizing 58-year-old Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey, insisting on Polanski’s return to face criminal charges. Polanski fled to London Feb. 1, 1978 after spending 42 days in Chino State Prison for a psychiatric evaluation before his final sentencing.
Accused of drugging and sodomizing 13-year-old wannabe model Samantha Jane Gailey [now Geimer] March 10, 1977 at the home of actor Jack Nicholson in Beverly Hills adjacent, Benedict Canyon, Polanski told District Attorney John Van de Kamp that the sexual encounter was consensual. California law draws the line on sex with anyone under the age of 14, falling into the statutory rape criminal category. After appearing in Warsaw in 2014, U.S. prosecutors, once again, requested Polanski’s extradition to complete his legal matters in Los Angeles Superior Court. Despite pleading guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor in 1977, Polanski, after spending 42 days under psychiatric evaluation at Chino State Prison, fled the country, fearing that Superior Court Judge Laurence Rittenband would insist on more jail time, considering the sensational nature of the crime.
After suing Polanski for damages in civil court, Geimer settled with Polanski out-of-court in 1993 for an undisclosed sum, around $500,000. Whether or not Polanski paid Geimer off is anyone’s guess. Geimer has asked the Los Angeles DA to drop the charges against Polanski for years, satisfied he’s met his debt to society—and to her. “Straight up, what he did to me was wrong. But I wish he would return to America so the whole ordeal could be put to rest for both of us,” said Geimer, making numerous requests over the years to drop the case. “It just isn’t fair to allow someone with resources to escape justice for so long,” said Los Angeles District Atty. Jackie Lacey. Geimer’s attorney Lawrence Silver, asked Lacey to let the case go. Lacey said it was up to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to decide whether to accept the Krakow judge’s opinion to deny the latest extradition request.
Praising Krakow Judge Dariusz Maruzr’s ruling that “no rational answer to the question: What is the real point of the U.S. extradition request,” denying extradition, Geimer’s Atty. Silver said the time had come to end the case. After losing the O.J. Simpson case Oct. 3, 1995, former District Atty. Gil Garcetti, passed the unhappy legacy to his successor District Atty. Steve Cooley and now to Lacey, seeking any positive publicity. Polanski’s case cuts across many generations of LA district attorney, hoping to regain the glory days when Vincent Bugliosi managed to put Charles Manson behind bars for life Jan. 25, 1971. It screams ironic that Polanski’s 26-year-old wife, actress Sharon Tate, was murdered in Benedict Canyon Aug. 9, 1969, along with her unborn child with Polanski in Manson’s Tate-Labianca massacre. Hanging onto the Polanski case is the last link to the DA;s glory days.
Hearing about the Krakow judge’s ruling, Geimer felt inclined to congratulate Polanski’s Polish attorneys. “I sent a letter of congratulations to Mr. Polanski’s lawyers in Poland for being abee to demonstrate to the judicial system of Poland that this case, which is 38 years old, should be ended,” said Silver speaking for Geimer. At the time Polanski fled to London, his attorneys claimed an inappropriate plea deal between chief Los Angeles DA David Wells and Judge Rittenband insisting on more jail time than the 42 days time-served while under psychiatric evaluation at Chino State Prison. Whatever the reasons for Polanski’s flight, it’s time for the Los Angeles District Attorney to end attempts at prosecution. “Both the judicial systems in Poland and Switzerland are able to do what the United States seems unable to do, and that is put the matter behind us,” said Geimer’s attorney.
Polanski’s past sex acts with a thirteen-year-old can never be justified or excused. But given the 38-year-old age of the case and the victim’s repeated requests to have the Los Angeles District Attorney drop the case, it’s time for Lacey to officially end the case. As a citizen of Poland and France, Polanski has lived outside the U.S. since he fled to London Feb. 1, 1978. Whether or not Lacey acts on judicial principle to keep the case going, the U.S. courts have exhausted all remaining remedies. “Given the inappropriateness of the district attorney’s office and the judge, this case will be dismissed if it is ever reopened,” said Silver, highlighting the futility of keeping the case going. Keeping the case open wastes the Los Angeles District Attorney’s precious time-and-money. Without serving more time, Polanski lives with the unending stigma from his depraved conduct.
