Roman Polanski arrested in Zürich

[Agelastus]

The really interesting question is why it appears that the Americans were not seriously looking for his extradition until 2005, if the article is to be believed. Can anyone think of any reason that the Americans would suddenly move this case off of the backburner in that year?

Reasonable question.  But if you factor in the "we don't extradite citizens" laws in France and Poland, plus the no-passport travel in Europe, it doesn't sound so conspiratorial anymore.

Except for the fact that according to reports Polanski spends about two months of every year in Switzerland (he owns a house there) and has done so for many years. Does anyone know how long Switzerland and the USA have had an extradition treaty?

[Martinus]

What is "good pedophilia" ? Like romantic pedophilia or what?  like NAMBLA type stuff?

And I disagree with "no threat to anyone". He is clearly a threat if he did this horrible, life shattering thing to that girl and boasted about it afterwards.

Yeah, NAMBLA and stuff. Essentially, arguing that there are types of sex with prepubescent children that could be not harmful.

[Eddie Teach]

As I said its just oppinion as is almost every other comment out there related to this case.
What we say doesn't matter anyway, its all just 'Yey, death to paedos' or 'Noooo Planski!!!!!'

Well I do have some sympathy for the man. Growing up in the camps and then having your wife brutally murdered by a group of nutjobs is bound to take a toll. But what he did was illegal and rightfully so; we can't just give him a pass. The fact that he's a film director is utterly irrelevant.

[Martinus]

The really interesting question is why it appears that the Americans were not seriously looking for his extradition until 2005, if the article is to be believed. Can anyone think of any reason that the Americans would suddenly move this case off of the backburner in that year?

Reasonable question.  But if you factor in the "we don't extradite citizens" laws in France and Poland, plus the no-passport travel in Europe, it doesn't sound so conspiratorial anymore.

Except for the fact that according to reports Polanski spends about two months of every year in Switzerland (he owns a house there) and has done so for many years. Does anyone know how long Switzerland and the USA have had an extradition treaty?

There is a conspiracy theory put forth here that the extradition is a way of the Swiss to get into the US good graces in exchange of not being grilled too much over the banking secrecy thing.

[Martinus]

As I said its just oppinion as is almost every other comment out there related to this case.
What we say doesn't matter anyway, its all just 'Yey, death to paedos' or 'Noooo Planski!!!!!'

Well I do have some sympathy for the man. Growing up in the camps and then having your wife brutally murdered by a group of nutjobs is bound to take a toll. But what he did was illegal and rightfully so; we can't just give him a pass. The fact that he's a film director is utterly irrelevant.

Actually a pregnant wife with his child in her wombs.

[Jaron]

Those Swiss know how to play their cards then.

[Jaron]

As I said its just oppinion as is almost every other comment out there related to this case.
What we say doesn't matter anyway, its all just 'Yey, death to paedos' or 'Noooo Planski!!!!!'

Well I do have some sympathy for the man. Growing up in the camps and then having your wife brutally murdered by a group of nutjobs is bound to take a toll. But what he did was illegal and rightfully so; we can't just give him a pass. The fact that he's a film director is utterly irrelevant.

Actually a pregnant wife with his child in her wombs.

How many did she have?

[Sheilbh]

For the record, Chinatown = overrated.

For the record, this is false.  Chinatown = one of the ten best films ever made.

I agree.  I think he has done some very good films. 

Off the top of my head I admire Tess, Repulsion, Cul-de-Sac, Knife in the Water and Rosemary's Baby.

But I think Chinatown's just on another level.

[DisturbedPervert]

especially as the Californian prisons are so heavily overcrowded

I can't imagine he'll last long in there.   How many butt rapes will he be able to take?

[Agelastus]

There is a conspiracy theory put forth here that the extradition is a way of the Swiss to get into the US good graces in exchange of not being grilled too much over the banking secrecy thing.

It's been suggested that this is true over here, as well. It makes a certain amount of logical sense, I must admit.

However, my question was why did the USA suddenly take this off of the backburner in 2005? I am just very curious as to what happened that year to make them so eager to get Polanski back after all that time.

[DGuller]

Could be a general push against child sex criminals.  I've heard of other cases in the last couple of years where "bad guys" had heat turned on them out of the blue.

[Berkut]

So France does not extradite citizens?

So a French person can go outside France, commit some crime, then go back to France and be secure in the knowledge that he is safe from prosecution?

[derspiess]

So France does not extradite citizens?

So a French person can go outside France, commit some crime, then go back to France and be secure in the knowledge that he is safe from prosecution?

Yes, especially if the crime was committed in the US.

[ulmont]

So France does not extradite citizens?

So a French person can go outside France, commit some crime, then go back to France and be secure in the knowledge that he is safe from prosecution?

Not necessarily.  The US does occasionally kidnap people and drag them to the US for trial.

[Josquius]

There is a conspiracy theory put forth here that the extradition is a way of the Swiss to get into the US good graces in exchange of not being grilled too much over the banking secrecy thing.

It's been suggested that this is true over here, as well. It makes a certain amount of logical sense, I must admit.

However, my question was why did the USA suddenly take this off of the backburner in 2005? I am just very curious as to what happened that year to make them so eager to get Polanski back after all that time.

My thoughts too.
My guess; someone saw The Pianist, read up on this guy and realised he was still on the run.