Polanski Agreed to Pay Victim $500K, but Records Indicate He Stalled

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Oct 3rd 2009 09:30AM

Film director Roman Polanski agreed to pay his sexual assault victim $500,000 to settle a lawsuit 15 years after he fled the United States, according to court documents. Polanski and the victim, Samantha Geimer, reached the deal in October 1993. The terms of the settlement were confidential, but the amount was disclosed in court documents because of a two-year struggle to get Polanski to pay.

Court records, which were provided to media outlets Friday, do not indicate if Polanski ever paid. The last court filing in August 1996 shows Polanski, now 76, owed Geimer $604,416.22, including interest.

Polanski's attorney, David Finkle, said he couldn't remember details of the case and declined comment.

"It's ancient," Finkle said.

A phone message left for Geimer's attorney, Lawrence Silver, wasn't immediately returned. Geimer and her family also have not returned calls this week seeking comment.

Polanski was accused of plying Geimer, then a 13-year-old girl, with champagne and part of a Quaalude pill during a modeling shoot in 1977 and raping her. He was initially indicted on six felony counts, including rape by use of drugs, child molesting and sodomy.

Polanski pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse and a judge sent him to prison for a 90-day psychiatric evaluation. However, he was released after 42 days by an evaluator who deemed him mentally sound and unlikely to offend again.

The judge responded by saying he was going to send Polanski back to jail for the remainder of the 90 days and that afterward he would ask Polanski to agree to a "voluntary deportation." Polanski then fled the country the night before he was scheduled to be sentenced, Feb. 1, 1978.

Polanski, who won an Academy Award for best director for "The Pianist," was arrested last weekend in Switzerland on a fugitive warrant in the case.

Geimer, who long ago identified herself, sued Polanski in December 1988 when she was 25 years old, alleging sexual assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress and seduction. She has since joined in Polanski's bid for dismissal and has forgiven him.

In a December 1995 filing, Silver said "defendant has failed to pay any part of the sum due or the interest due on the attached note." Silver added that he talked to Finkle, who agreed Polanski was in default.

Silver then sought some of Polanski's earnings by canvassing Hollywood for his wages. Among those who were contacted about Polanski were the Directors Guild of America, International Creative Management, Warner Bros. Inc. and Sony Studios.

ICM head and Polanski agent Jeff Berg declined comment.

If Polanski hasn't paid over the past 14 years, it's unclear if he would have to pay interest. The court documents state he'd owe $128.42 per day, for a total of about $650,000.

Tags: roman polanski, RomanPolanski

Comments

(72)

Saturday 03 October

By Kurt

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If this F-ker gets off with just a fine and maybe a short stint in jail...i'm gonna be pissed....they need to lock him up for the rest of his life!

By applejaxon

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What's wrong with you people? Seriously! The woman herself doesn't want Polanski arrested. The whole case was laden with irregularities and a personal vendetta by the judge. All of sudden everyone's taking some bogus moral high ground? The amount of time and money already wasted is pathetic. And yes, leave the guy alone. The moral high ground and the law failed him twice, both resulting in the deaths of his family. For no other reason than that, he deserves a break. If you actually read more on the case, law enforcement officials didn't see this as a violent, jailable crime. Enough already.

Sunday 04 October

By Master Shake

When you see comments that are so emotionally charged about something that doesn't affect anyone else's life, this is the result of public hysteria. Right now there is a witch hunt going on for anything pertaining to this sort of crime. There wasn't back when this happened. That's why NOW this is a big case. Thirty years ago it was more of a technicality. Morality is a fashion, but few people ever study history enough to see that clearly.

By Cynthia J

The little midget should pay his victim but he can't even do that. He had sex with a 13 year old girl--disgusting. Why should he have escaped jail time? Who cares if he is (or was) a fine film director. He's still a pervert.

By cat123

I think you must have forgoten that the man raped a 13 year old girl. He is sick and should be put in jail and have to pay the fine plus intrest!

By Nrthdude

Arrest him, convict hom, and make him pay his debt to the victim. I don't care how talented he is, I don't care how old the case is, I don't care if the victim understandably wants the case to go away, and although his family was killed by the Nazis, and his wife murdered by the Manson Family, it doesn't excuse raping a 13 year-old child.

By Mimi

Is not fear, if he was a blue collar worker,he will be going to jail for a long time,plus he be in the web as a child molester,plus he have to report to police everywhere he go,
we have 2 laws in US ? one for the poor and one for the rich people,please let me know thanks Mimi

By glasstone

Hollywood needs to realize that the public doesn"t afford them any special favors, especially for their lawless.Polanski did the crime and needs to face the time whether or not he has an Oscar.

By Theresa

This man didn't even think this girl deserved money or anything. Treated her like trash. What a piece of sh**. I am concerned about the ones from Hollywood sticking up for him. Are they as sick as he is? Makes one wonder? Put him in Prison just like anyone else that has harmed a child. This sicko is twisted. Not doing anything to this man is sending a very bad message, letting them think that it is ok to rape a child as long as you are rich.

By jrf

put the bastard in jail

By Holger Groth

Many Hollywood freaks are criminals and some even murderers; they believe that they are above the law. Anybody who supports the rapist need to be raped themselves including their young children to have a lawful set of mind. A good lesson for Rape-Sympathizers would be to house them in prison cells among convicted rapists. I bet you, after this horrible experience they would respect the law. How would Polanski feel himself if his sixteen year old daughter would have been raped? Would he pardon the rapist? Hollywood freaks earning way too much money for the trash they are producing. The victim's mother also needs to serve jail time for child negligence, because she allowed it to happen in return for money. Rape is a crime, whether it is committed to a minor or an adult and needs to be prosecuted to the full extend.

By Jusus

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You know how many hookers he could have brought for that kind of money.

By flsunshine8418

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Not too many hookers would work for nothing - which is exactly what the jerk has payed.

By charles

He's a deadbeat as well as a pedophile! I wonder what woopi's court would have to say about that. Is it welching-welching on an agreement or just welching which i guess would be okay?

By dick

I have a great Idea, bring him back to the usa then put him in jail with charlie manson lmfao now thats what I call justices

By opwo45

First, I lived in Hollywood during that period of time. I worked at Schwab's Pharmacy lunch counter, Polankski was an occasional patron and I remember the girl also. No one would have thought she was 13 yrs old by the way she dressed or behaved. (I am not suggesting that women or girls who dress provocatively are asking for or deserve to be raped) What I am saying is she sure didn't look 13! No one would have guessed.

I remember the case well and her mom was pretty much serving her up to forward her "modeling" career. During the trial they rubbed off the make-up and stuck her in a peter pan collar to make her appear more childlike and innocent. C'mon, mom's the one that cut the original deal for the money, shouldn't that speak to what this was really about to begin with?

There IS a difference between predators that go hunting for children and people that do not exercise the best of judgment and get caught up in things over their head.

Yes, I think the girl is a victim... but more of her mothers' than Polankski's.

By Terry

If you believe your own thoughts then you are pretty sick. He knew she was 13. If he did not rape rape has whoopi says, then what is it when you drug someone through pills and alcohol. If he would have kept his pecker in his pants and not messed with his supposed "subjet', co-worker we would not be having this discussion. Jeez

By mmitch1967

there is no justification for this man's actions...period! using alcohol and drugs to get your way with someone is wrong..no matter the age. the fact that the person was only 13 just compounds the vileness of the deed. Let him have the JUSTICE thats due him...then let him live the rest of his life in peace...after that...higher powers than ourselves will decide his fate

More than likely the vast majority of posters here were NOT aware of or maybe not even alive when this case was current, I was, and I stayed on top of the case because it was happening in my community and because I was a young woman, too.

So many people make statements like "plied a 13 yr old (child) with alcohol in order to rape her. They were both drinking and getting high, which is what an awful lot of people do, especially then, before engaging in sex.

Before Samantha was prepped for the courthouse, that "child" and her friends dressed and looked older than me and I was over 21 at the time. Would it have been smart to find out how old she was for sure, absolutely! But her behavior (and mom's) suggested she was of consensual age.

People, think about things, the press is making lots of noise about how common it is for rape victims to go after monetary restitution to explain why this mother and now the "girl" has put SO much effort into the money.

Hey women out there who have been raped, tell the truth, what's most important to YOU? getting the rapists money? or getting the bastard and wanting to feel safe and clean again?

Get real.

I am a mother, my oldest is 29 and my youngest 12. If some Hollywood director came to me and talked about involving my "baby" in a photo shoot for ANY magazine, I'd be damned if I wouldn't be RIGHT THERE with them. There would be NO OPPORTUNITY for these alleged abuses to take place. This woman... "sure, great idea, take off with my daughter! Bring her home later." Who lets a "child" go off unescorted with a strange adult man?

Sounds like the Britney Spears mother to me. She knew what was going on and she pimped her kid out for a shot at a movie deal and when that didn't work out for money.

Polanski clearly thought she was older, and of consensual age... even Samantha stated he asked her if she was on the pill, for God sake!

If the things described and alleged against Polanski REALLY happened as is being publicized to me or one one of my children, NO AMOUNT OF MONEY would smooth it over.

As a Christian, I might be able to forgive it... but he'd be getting my forgiveness from a jail cell.

I think the guy ran when it was clear the judge who made a plea deal with him planned on renegging... that was the only reason he pled guilty to begin with, a plea bargain, and he didn't plead guilty to all these charges, he pled to unlawful sex with a minor (yes, a minor)after he found out how old she was.

Hey guys? How many of you have had that unsettling close call with a girl you found out was too young, but didn't seem to be? How many of you DID it, but didn't get caught? Did you turn yourselves in?

Sounds like a lot of holier than thou sour grapes hypocrites shouting for blood to me.

By Al

An adult having sex with a 13 year old is a crime. End of story. Even a consenting 13 year old. It's still rape. I don't understand the problem with Hollywood figuring this out. Just because Polanski is a good director, he should be let go? WTF? He committed a crime, he agreed to a payoff, he fled the country. Pedophile....I'm almost tempted to let the French keep him.

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