should Romen Polanski be extradition back to the usa?

[Miss Chicken]

I was brutally raped by my husband )now ex-husband) many years ago. At the time he did it it wasn't a crime for a man to rape his wife so I have no chance of ever seeing justice.

Even if they was some way of charging my ex I would not want it all to resurface at this stage. I have come to terms with what happened and gotten on with my life. I would have appreciated justice being done back then but now I have no real anger or hated that is eating away at me. I think that this is probably how this girl now a woman feels. There was no justice when she was 13 because of the plea bargaining and she came to terms with that. She know that even if he is bought back to the USA he will never be convicted of the crime he should have been convicted of.

 

[Bears Discover Fire]

I was brutally raped by my husband )now ex-husband) many years ago. At the time he did it it wasn't a crime for a man to rape his wife so I have no chance of ever seeing justice.

Even if they was some way of charging my ex I would not want it all to resurface at this stage. I have come to terms with what happened and gotten on with my life. I would have appreciated justice being done back then but now I have no real anger or hated that is eating away at me. I think that this is probably how this girl now a woman feels. There was no justice when she was 13 because of the plea bargaining and she came to terms with that. She know that even if he is bought back to the USA he will never be convicted of the crime he should have been convicted of.

I hope you can understand my perspective when I say I can't understand hers. Prehaps the wounds are still a little new and raw for me, but I am still angry at what happened to me and I cannot let it go. There was a complete breakdown in procedure and the trail of evidence between the police, hospital, and attorney's office, which led to my attacker spending 30 days in jail on a single misdemeanor when he should have been sentenced to a 5-8 year minimum per count on 5 counts of felony battery. Further, I was asked illegal questions by the police at the scene of the assault, they (twice) failed to collect the evidence of my assault or photograph my injuries at the scene, I was denied mandatory medical examinations, evidence collection and psychological care while at the hospital, I was denied the right to speak with detectives and victim services advocates at the hospital, I was denied copies of police reports relating to the case, I was never informed of court dates, I was never called to testify, and they allowed my attacker access to my personal information, including my new address, thus endangering me all over again. Further, the system's failure to do its job in the beginning has left me in debt and indignity because I've had to pay for this person's malice against me out of pocket, with little hope of restitution. I will be fending off collection agencies for years to come. Even the lawyer I hired in the hopes of exercising my rights as a victim to access information and pursue restitution has decided he's too "busy" with more lucrative caseloads to return my calls. In short, I was systematically fucked and because double jeopardy now applies I have to stay fucked.

And yeah, I'm trying to come to terms with my systematic fucking and move on with my life. But I have been unable to, knowing that my attacker is free to attack again, and the system let him. I started therapy to come to terms with what happened to me, but therapy won't undo what's been done. I don't think I'll ever have peace unless I know I did my part to prevent this from happening to other people, and even then I don't think I'll ever be over it. Maybe that's an unfair burden to put on assault victims who are abused over and over by the system, but that's how I feel. Frankly, I try to understand this woman's position and I cannot. When she wants to let it go and claims that the justice system hurt her more than Polanski, I feel her anger is misguided, because in her case the justice system is actually *trying* to make right. When she says to just forgive and forget, she's telling the world its okay enabling abuses like the ones I've suffered. Maybe if she raised hell instead people would think twice about purposefully neglecting victims of violent crime. I'm glad she's done something I am unable to do for now, but I cannot agree that honoring her wishes to leave poor ol' persecuted Roman alone helps anyone in the long run.

 

[TheMasterOfOrion]

I assume they've been waiting for him to leave France so he could get extradited?

Precisely. French law wouldn't allow his extradition while he was on their territory.

Check out this guy - one of his defenders
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8296578.stm

France's Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand is facing intense pressure over a book he wrote that described paying for "young boys" in Thailand.The book was written four years ago, before he joined the government, but is back in the headlines following his impassioned support for Roman Polanski

Nephew of former Socialist President Francois Mitterrand

In his 2005 book The Bad Life, he wrote: "I got into the habit of paying for boys," saying his attraction to young male prostitutes was not dimmed despite knowing "the sordid details of this traffic".

"All these rituals of the market for youths, the slave market excited me enormously... the abundance of very attractive and immediately available young boys put me in a state of desire."

The sickness

Dans La mauvaise vie, récit d'inspiration autobiographique publié en 2005, Frédéric Mitterrand, homosexuel déclaré, décrivait ses expériences de tourisme sexuel en Thaïlande et en Indonésie. Des passages explicites faisaient notamment référence à des « garçons », mais Frédéric Mitterrand avait nié qu'il s'agissait de mineurs.

Voilà qu'en raison de ce récit, un succès en librairie en 2005, tant la gauche que l'extrême droite en France réclament la démission de son auteur. Frédéric Mitterrand devait se défendre sur les ondes de TF1, jeudi en soirée.

Homme de gauche, Frédéric Mitterrand avait fait grand bruit en entrant dans le gouvernement de droite de Nicolas Sarkozy, en juin dernier.

La controverse entourant La mauvaise vie est d'autant plus difficile à contenir que le ministre français s'était porté à la défense du cinéaste franco-polonais Roman Polanski. Ce dernier a été arrêté en Suisse pour une affaire de relations sexuelles illégales avec une mineure en 1977 aux États-Unis.

Pour Frédéric Mitterrand, ce qu'on reproche à Roman Polanski est « une histoire ancienne qui n'a pas vraiment de sens ».

Le ministre de la Culture a écrit en 2005 un livre qui s'appelle La mauvaise vie dans lequel il décrit par le menu la manière dont il effectue du tourisme sexuel et le plaisir qu'il a à payer des petits garçons thaïlandais.

La première charge contre Frédéric Mitterrand est venue par la personne de Marine Le Pen. La vice-présidente du Front national et fille de Jean-Marie Le Pen a qualifié la présence de Frédéric Mitterrand au sein du gouvernement de « tache indélébile » et a réclamé la démission du ministre.

La controverse a ensuite gagné les rangs de la gauche, l'opposition socialiste dénonçant ce qu'elle qualifie de « propos choquants » et « d'apologie de l'exploitation sexuelle ». À l'instar de l'extrême droite, les ténors socialistes réclament eux aussi la tête d'un ministre.

The bad in life, inspired autobiographical narrative published in 2005, Frederic Mitterrand, Gay said, describing his experiences of sex tourism in Thailand and Indonesia. Frederic Mitterrand had to defend himself on the air on TF1, Thursday evening.


The Polanski Defender, the Minister of Culture wrote a 2005 book called The sick life in which he describes in detail how he performs sex acts on a small Thai boys.

So from 2005 people knew about this perversion but nobody was calling for his head?

First attack against Frederic Mitterrand came through the fascist daughter Marine Le Pen
Strange how when the only decent person in the French government is a fascist!? The VP of the National Front and daughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen called Frederic Mitterrand in the government of "indelible stain" and demanded resignation.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Bears Discover Fire, I believe that the woman is no longer angry at all - neither at Polanski or the system that let him get away.

Just like I am no longer angry at the fact that my ex-husband wasn't able to be charged. I was angry for years and though I am no longer angry what happen to me still affects me and is the main reason I never had a successful relationship with a man afterwards. I do not remember exactly when I stopped being angry, but it was a very gradual thing. I think in the end I decided I wasn't going to let it ruin my life anymore than it had.

Also eventually the law was changed so that a man could be charged with rape of his wife. Maybe the fact that this girl saw other men get what they deserved for similar offenses made it easier for this girl. If you knew that the system changed for the better and fuckups like what happen to you wouldn't happen again would it be easier for you to be forgiving?

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

Not to mention, Angelica Huston was there at the time. How come no one thinks she's a horrible person, or even an accessory to the crime?

So that's who it was. Recently I've heard a few people on radio shows and such commenting on how there was someone else there and wondering who it was.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

No, he should not be. For three reasons:

1. It was a long-ass time ago.

He was also sentenced a long time ago. Right now he's just evading jail time (which is why statute of limitations doesn't apply).

2. The victim wants it dropped.

As others have pointed out, not really relevant.

3. It would be illegal for France to extradite him.

Isn't he not in France right now?

He can never return to the United States. Let banishment be enough and move on. Plenty of present-day rapists and violent criminals of all sorts to worry about.

By that logic, any person who flees the jurisdiction should never be jailed, since their crime happened the past and there are plenty of current people to worry about. Unless you think people convicted of rape have some exemption that murderers (for example) don't have?

 

[JiNX-01]

Absolutely! He drugged, raped and sexually molested a 13-year-old girl. And God knows whether he'd done it before or since. If he wasn't a member of the Hollywood Insiders Club he'd been getting denounced as the monster he is.

 

[Lonemagpie]

There was or is (not sure) a petition from famous directors and actors to not extradict Polanski.

http://www.sacd.fr/Le-cinema-soutient-Roman-Polanski-Petition-for-Roman-Polanski.1340.0.html

signing parties :
Woody Allen, Pedro Almodovar, Jean-Jacques Annaud, Fanny Ardant, Asia Argento, Olivier Assayas, Monica Bellucci, Patrice Chéreau, Luc et Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Jonathan Demme, Costa Gavras, Terry Gilliam, Wong Kar Waï, Jan Kounen, Emir Kusturica, John Landis, David Lynch, Tonie Marshall, Radu Mihaileanu, Jeanne Moreau, Yasmina Reza, Barbet Schroeder, Ettore Scola, Martin Scorsese, Tilda Swinton, Giuseppe Tornatore, Wim Wenders...

This is just bizarre.
I might have to revaluate these people....

Eh, if I boycotted every celebrity I thought had a screw loose or made questionable decisions, I'd never see any movies or TV! I can't speak to the motivations of the people who signed the petition, but it's probably just a matter of sticking up for a friend, to them. Misguided or stupid as it may be.

Pretty much - or bandwagon-jumping.

On the other side, Schwarzenegger is all for Polanski getting what's coming to him, and I'm sure there are others too - but they don't seem to be getting any press...

 

[Pingfah]

If all he can serve is the remaining 40 or 50 days of his 90 day sentence, I don't know why he has evaded it for this long. It must have made life as a director very difficult for him.

He must have had one hell of a shitty 42 days in jail.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I can't say I'm very familiar with this situation, but if he raped a kid, he should be in jail. And he should be in jail longer for fleeing the country and avoiding punishment all these years. Whatever plea bargain he managed back in the 70s should be voided.

 

[cultcross]

I can't say I'm very familiar with this situation, but if he raped a kid, he should be in jail. And he should be in jail longer for fleeing the country and avoiding punishment all these years. Whatever plea bargain he managed back in the 70s should be voided.

Presumably he would be charged wit ha myriad of new offences relating to failing to appear and escaping lawful custody (did he 'escape' or just fail to show up on the old rich-people-always-get-bail issue?) if he is returned to the US. It wouldn't just be the original sentence which is owed now.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I can't say I'm very familiar with this situation, but if he raped a kid, he should be in jail. And he should be in jail longer for fleeing the country and avoiding punishment all these years. Whatever plea bargain he managed back in the 70s should be voided.

Presumably he would be charged wit ha myriad of new offences relating to failing to appear and escaping lawful custody (did he 'escape' or just fail to show up on the old rich-people-always-get-bail issue?) if he is returned to the US. It wouldn't just be the original sentence which is owed now.

He failed to show up.

 

[Shaytan]

First attack against Frederic Mitterrand came through the fascist daughter Marine Le Pen
Strange how when the only decent person in the French government is a fascist!? The VP of the National Front and daughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen called Frederic Mitterrand in the government of "indelible stain" and demanded resignation.

Just for clarification, Marine Le Pen isn't part of the government (for us government = prime minister and ministers and only that), she's only VP of her party. She has some "power" locally and at the European parliament which is stricly nothing since our politic is centralized mainly in Paris and that no one cares about what the European parliament has to say

For the rest of the post, I've nothing to say, I don't care enough.

 

[Lookingglassman]

Yes because if we let him go what is to stop other child molestors from fleeing the country?

 

[JuanBolio]

He was also sentenced a long time ago. Right now he's just evading jail time (which is why statute of limitations doesn't apply).

Yeah, okay. It was still a long-ass time ago.

As others have pointed out, not really relevant.

Legally relevant, perhaps not. Morally so? Absolutely.

Isn't he not in France right now?

Largely thanks to some very questionable legal meddling.

By that logic, any person who flees the jurisdiction should never be jailed, since their crime happened the past and there are plenty of current people to worry about. Unless you think people convicted of rape have some exemption that murderers (for example) don't have?

Rape in and of itself doesn't kill anyone. A murderer is worth hunting down. An eccentric film director who drugged and diddled a pubescent girl 30 years ago? Not so much. Law enforcement and government have limited resources, and I think they would be better spent elsewhere. Roman Polanski is simply not worth the time, money, and effort.

Now if the victim or her family wanted to go over there and claim revenge citizen-to-citizen, that would be fine with me.

Prehaps the wounds are still a little new and raw for me, but I am still angry at what happened to me and I cannot let it go. There was a complete breakdown in procedure and the trail of evidence between the police, hospital, and attorney's office, which led to my attacker spending 30 days in jail on a single misdemeanor when he should have been sentenced to a 5-8 year minimum per count on 5 counts of felony battery. Further, I was asked illegal questions by the police at the scene of the assault, they (twice) failed to collect the evidence of my assault or photograph my injuries at the scene, I was denied mandatory medical examinations, evidence collection and psychological care while at the hospital, I was denied the right to speak with detectives and victim services advocates at the hospital, I was denied copies of police reports relating to the case, I was never informed of court dates, I was never called to testify, and they allowed my attacker access to my personal information, including my new address, thus endangering me all over again. Further, the system's failure to do its job in the beginning has left me in debt and indignity because I've had to pay for this person's malice against me out of pocket, with little hope of restitution. I will be fending off collection agencies for years to come. Even the lawyer I hired in the hopes of exercising my rights as a victim to access information and pursue restitution has decided he's too "busy" with more lucrative caseloads to return my calls. In short, I was systematically fucked and because double jeopardy now applies I have to stay fucked.

And yeah, I'm trying to come to terms with my systematic fucking and move on with my life. But I have been unable to, knowing that my attacker is free to attack again, and the system let him. I started therapy to come to terms with what happened to me, but therapy won't undo what's been done. I don't think I'll ever have peace unless I know I did my part to prevent this from happening to other people, and even then I don't think I'll ever be over it. Maybe that's an unfair burden to put on assault victims who are abused over and over by the system, but that's how I feel.

I certainly understand your frustration and would share it had I experienced what you did. If you need some kind of closure on this matter you might consider exacting revenge yourself. When the law fails, a citizen taking matters into her own hands to punish the guilty is no evil thing.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Rape in and of itself doesn't kill anyone. A murderer is worth hunting down. An eccentric film director who drugged and diddled a pubescent girl 30 years ago?

You obviously have never been raped. The effects can be lasting and very damaging.

 

[JuanBolio]

Rape in and of itself doesn't kill anyone. A murderer is worth hunting down. An eccentric film director who drugged and diddled a pubescent girl 30 years ago?

You obviously have never been raped. The effects can be lasting and very damaging.

No, I have never been raped. I do know, however, by use of my keen intellect, that rape does not KILL you. You are alive. You can move on and heal and have a wonderful life. Some people carry the psychological scars a long time, others do not. One way or another, though, you are alive to do so.

The same cannot be said of murder. Hence, murder >>>> rape.

 

[OmahaStar]

Miss Chicken, please forgive Juan. He seems to forget that this is not TNZ.

 

[cultcross]

Rape in and of itself doesn't kill anyone. A murderer is worth hunting down. An eccentric film director who drugged and diddled a pubescent girl 30 years ago?

You obviously have never been raped. The effects can be lasting and very damaging.

No, I have never been raped. I do know, however, by use of my keen intellect, that rape does not KILL you. You are alive. You can move on and heal and have a wonderful life. Some people carry the psychological scars a long time, others do not. One way or another, though, you are alive to do so.

The same cannot be said of murder. Hence, murder >>>> rape.

The concept that death is the worst thing ever imaginable is an erroneous one, imho.

 

[Michael Chris]

Yes, he should be extradited.