Roman Polanski arrested in Zürich

[Caliga]

Paying a lawsuit settlement is not a means of reconciling, but rather a means of avoiding the cost and dangers of going to trial.

I didn't mean to imply that I endorse what I speculate was his way of 'reconciling' with her.

[The Minsky Moment]

Just FYI, Marti, my reading of the case is that Polanski thought that he was getting a sentence that would not be severe enough to result in deportation.  When the judge started talking about 90 days, it seems that this would (and the judge probably intended that it would) result in deportation.  At that point, Polanski decided (again, just my interpretation) that, if he was going to be kicked out of Hollywood anyway, it made no sense to serve more jail time, so he voluntarily did what he thought the judge wanted to do to him involuntarily: get out of the US for good.

I don't think that years in prison was a real issue.

This is also my reading from the press accounts.  The statutory max was much higher, but that was never in the cards; the question was whether the judge was going to add on a couple months to trigger mandatory deportation.  Judges don't hew to prosecutor recommendations 100% of the time, but it would be unheard of for a judge to hear a recommendation of 48 days from the State and then sentence to 48 years.

[grumbler]

I didn't mean to imply that I endorse what I speculate was his way of 'reconciling' with her.

My reading of the case is that he felt no need to reconcile, since he did nothing wrong.  He would then have paid off the lawsuit to avoid having a lot of sordid details come out, not to make up for anything he had done.

All speculation, of course, and based more on what he hasn't said than what he has.

[Caliga]

I didn't mean to imply that I endorse what I speculate was his way of 'reconciling' with her.

My reading of the case is that he felt no need to reconcile, since he did nothing wrong.  He would then have paid off the lawsuit to avoid having a lot of sordid details come out, not to make up for anything he had done.

Gotcha... makes sense to me.

[jimmy olsen]

-for example many people in this thread suggested life imprisonment, whereas I think most Euros would view a penalty of say 3-4 years - taking into account his age, the fact that he reconciled with the victim etc. - to be more appropriate.

Really?  That's not a loaded question: I don't remember anyone calling for life imprisonment.  I would be cool with a sentence of 3-4 years and suspect this is the sort of sentence he'll end up getting.

I think he should be left to rot.

[Caliga]

Ok, so maybe I was wrong about nobody calling for life imprisonment. 

[Ed Anger]

Ok, so maybe I was wrong about nobody calling for life imprisonment. 

I'd crucify Polanski on the National Mall as an example.

[Caliga]

I'd crucify Polanski on the National Mall as an example.

That might upset the folks at the Holocaust Museum facing the Mall. 

[Ed Anger]

I'd crucify Polanski on the National Mall as an example.

That might upset the folks at the Holocaust Museum facing the Mall. 

THEY ARE ON NOTICE TOO.

[Malthus]

I'd crucify Polanski on the National Mall as an example.

That might upset the folks at the Holocaust Museum facing the Mall. 

Apparently, they need all the encouragement to behave they can get - according to some of Polanski's defenders. 

[grumbler]

Apparently, they need all the encouragement to behave they can get - according to some of Polanski's defenders. 

Indeed.  I cannot tell if they are saying that Polanski can fuck kids because he survived the Holocaust or because he survived the Holocaust.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

Why does that matter?

You are talking about "the justice America wants."  Since the only person about whom you can state the "wants" is yourself, we must translate "America" as you (though a you assuming that your wants are universal, which, of course, they are not).

This is what I hate about this fucking place. Everyone has to have an unmovable position. I'm actually interested in people's opinions, and often change my own when people make good arguments (and this does happen on Languish) so my opinion is malleable on this issue, and others. I've always maintained though that he should finish his sentence (and do the year or whatever for evading jail) but...

This is what I hate abiout some fucking posters.  They get all "I'm actually interested in people's opinions" but, when asked for their own, claim the asker is taking "an unmovable position" which makes them "hate this place."

Generally, if you want opinions, you should ask open-ended questions, rather than making silly pronouncements about what "America wants."

what I am cynical about is: that actually happening, and am quite amused by all the morons who spend so much time talking about how he's not an exception to be made because of his art. Well d'uh. Being creative and successful with that creativity doesn't exclude you from being someone who deserves prison for having sex with a minor. I guess unless you are Michael Jackson., but then you have to watch out for Kervorkian types posing as your friend.

It is interesting that you think only morons talk about how Polanski is not an exception to the rules (unless you are saying that the morons on the other side don't amuse you). This is a pretty unbalanced position, whichever way you mean it.

If he actually does time in America or anywhere other than his current Swiss jail ( I imagine him being guarded by those Swiss Pope guards for some reason.) I'd be amazed.

I concur on this.  The interesting question will be whether or not he gets bail while awaiting the years of rulings and appeals.  My guess:  yes, after a figleaf period of two or three months.

Bah. the "America" bit was throw-away. Just some sarcastic humour  I forgot not everyone understands those concepts (humor or sarcasm) I would never deign to speak for "America" as I'm not American. Not even close despite my proximity.

Why should I apologize for not taking hard positions on a retarded forum where I'm (just like you) trying to have a bit of fun, and kill some time. There are no discussions on this board (including my own threads) that I take very seriously.

Who on this board actually asks open ended questions? That's not how it works here. You say something you think is either brilliant, trollish, stupid, clever, etc and wait for others to respond in kind.

[grumbler] oh and btw I never said "only" morons, I said "the" morons who... Which only refers to certain morons, not even all of them, or even only them... others may have opinions, but the morons are the ones yakking the loudest on both sides. [/grumbler]

[Agelastus]

I agree with Grumbler's analysis of Polanski's reasons for fleeing the USA.

[garbon]

I disagree. There's plenty of Americans who don't know what fucking time it is.  And we're talking California Americans, a whole different breed of Amerimoron.

Whatever.

That said, I think you could find many Americans (/many Californians) who have no idea who Polanski is or what he did. He really isn't that big of a deal.

[jimmy olsen]

And this move just makes Polanski's defenders look worse, if that's possible.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-09-30/polanskis-lost-alibi/?cid=hp:featureline

A retired L.A. prosecutor—the man at the center of the Polanski judicial misconduct allegations—now tells Marcia Clark that he lied to documentarians, undercutting the director's defense. Among the developments Clark finds:

• Polanski's grounds for dismissal center around the former prosecutor inappropriately advising the judge about how to send Polanski back to prison. But the former prosecutor, David Wells, now tells Clark that "I lied" in the movie about advising the judge, and that "it never happened," which could undermine the director's case for dismissal.

• Wells' excuse for lying in the movie? "The director of the documentary told me it would never air in the States. I thought it made a better story if I said I'd told the judge what to do."

• Wells confirms to Clark that he did supply the judge pictures of Polanski reveling at Oktoberfest, and says that it's these photos that prompted the judge in 1977 to reconsider the plea bargain.

• Law-enforcement sources confirm that the strident actions of Polanski's own lawyers—prompted by Wells' now-recanted statements in the movie—led to his arrest this weekend.