Lawyer: Roman Polanski's Family 'Very Upset Psychologically'

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Nov 20th 2009 09:00AM

The wife and two children of Roman Polanski are bearing the brunt of the director's imprisonment in Switzerland as he awaits a decision on his extradition, his lawyer said in an interview to be published Friday.

Polanski has proposed "very significant" bail money, house arrest and other assurances to find freedom, Herve Temime told the daily Le Figaro. His 76-year-old client "will not accept extradition to the United States," he said.

U.S. authorities want Polanski to face justice in Los Angeles for having sex with a 13-year-old 32 years ago. A Swiss court official said this week that a bail decision was expected in 2 to 3 weeks.

Polanski, who was arrested Sept. 26 as he arrived in Zurich to collect a film award, is "very courageous" and "I have never heard him complain," Temime said.

However, his wife, Emmanuelle Seigner, an actress and singer, and his two children are "very upset psychologically by this separation that is a true heartbreak" for them, he said.

The Polish-French director has offered a second time to remain under house arrest at his chalet in Gstaad with electronic bracelet in an attempt to overturn a Swiss Justice Ministry decision to deny him bail.

"At the demand of Swiss authorities, he is prepared to offer a very significant sum of money for his financial means to back his solemn commitment" not to leave Switzerland, Temime said without naming an amount.

Temime maintained that Polanski had completed his sentence at the time, with 42 days in jail for psychological testing after being accused of raping the girl after plying her with champagne and a Quaalude pill during a 1977 modeling shoot.

The director of classics like "Rosemary's Baby" and "Chinatown" was initially indicted on six felony counts, including rape by use of drugs, child molesting and sodomy.

Polanski pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of unlawful sexual intercourse. In exchange, the judge agreed to drop the remaining charges and sentence him to prison for a 90-day psychiatric evaluation. He was released Polanski after 42 days. But when the judge said he was going to send him back to serve out the 90 days, Polanski fled the country on Feb. 1, 1978, the day he was to be sentenced.

Polanski's lawyer said his client did not get a proper trial.

Tags: emmanuelle seigner, EmmanuelleSeigner, roman polanski, RomanPolanski

Comments

(35)

Friday 20 November

By R

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

GEE, CAN I BUY MY WAY OUT OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM???
I DEMAND THAT THE LAWS OF THE LAND DO NOT APPLY TO ME!!!
HOW PATHETIC!!!!!

By ray

+1, agreed. truly pathetic and nauseating that "some" people think that money should solve all their woes and evil deeds. for people who belittle this saying it was x-amount of years ago, imagine he did it to you, your daughter, or other loved ones. why is this any different than a priest raping a 13-yr-old choir boy 30 years ago? stupid people.

By junior

Vote down Vote up Report this

Just how many millions of our tax dollars are we going to spend for a 48 day sentence? Even his victim wants this to go away. Why can't we respect her wishes? 32 years and how much money and is it worth it?

By Linda

Polanski is a pig and I hope they fry him. I can't believe he has children. I hope they are not girls. Wonder how he could explain this mess to them. That stupid wife of his should take those kids and run.

By Joey

Oh, all of you critics! You just don't understand that these artistic folks aren't the same type of people as you. They're special. They DESERVE different treatment than ordinary peons who pay the money to watch their movies to make them rich to make them arrogant and to live lives of extreme opulence. You know, the folks who wear white silk scarfs on top of their blazers? While you're at it, give Nicholas Cage his money back.

By Artistic folk

Finally! Someone who understands us.

By Spike

If I were the father of the girl he raped he would not even be on the planet. Who cares about his family? He was convicted of rape and needs to serve his time.

By s

I guess it would be ok if someone did this to his daughter.

By John

Cut his Penis off and send him home.

By Mitser Happ

Oh, his family is "very upset psychologically"? Well, they should get over it. Too bad.

By kitty22cape

Sorry, but my concern is for the PEDOPHILE that fled the country to avoid his punishment for drugging and sodomizing a child. I hope he is sentenced according to today's laws and thrown in jail to be sodomized by men. Perhaps that will send a strong message to others who opt to flee rather than face the music.

By ralibbey

Poor Roman! Give him some rope to play with.

By sjcobb

Wonder how the victim (and all the others they didn't catch this pedophile with) are holding up psychologically.

By Jan

Ok please tell me if I read this wrong

"when the judge said he was going to send him back to serve out the 90 days"

He ran away from a 90 day sentence??

Saturday 21 November

By Donald

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Give this PIG 10 Years he will never make it alive,then
burn him in Pig sh t

By Ben

I agree with many of you. Had he done this to my daughter he would have been pushing up flowers from six feet under years ago!!

By Dan

The guy got a 13 year old drunk and gave her qaaludes, then F'd her in the ass. In no way is that acceptable behavior. Off to prison you go!

By jake192168

what does a large amt of money have to do with this. is he sayig you can buy yourself out of detention? while everyone with no money sits in jail. money should have nothing to do with the crimminal process.

Jan....Thats right! And he had already served 42 days of the 90 days!!!

Page 1 of 2