US will try to continue pursuit of Polanski
Source: Agencies |
July 14, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE pursuit of Roman Polanski will continue, but only to the extent the director allows it.
Authorities in the United States roundly denounced the decision by the Swiss government to set Polanski free, dealing another twist in a sex case that has spanned three decades and two continents.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley called it a "disservice to justice and other victims as a whole."
The Swiss, for their part, described Polanski as "a free man."
That largely depends on the director's movements. A warrant for his arrest remains active, effectively barring the 76-year-old from returning to the US, which he fled in 1978 on the eve of sentencing for a charge of having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl.
The ruling cannot be appealed, and within hours of the ruling Polanksi appeared to have left the multimillion dollar chalet where he had been confined on house arrest since last year. He is free to return to his native France, which does not extradite its citizens.
Prosecutors have tried to arrest Polanski during his travels before, and vowed to continue the effort after Monday's ruling.
"The United States believes that the rape of a 13-year-old child by an adult is a crime, and we continue to pursue justice in this case," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said.
Cooley said his office will work with federal officials to have Polanski returned for sentencing if he's arrested in a country with a favorable extradition treaty, such as England, Thailand or Israel.
Authorities in the United States roundly denounced the decision by the Swiss government to set Polanski free, dealing another twist in a sex case that has spanned three decades and two continents.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley called it a "disservice to justice and other victims as a whole."
The Swiss, for their part, described Polanski as "a free man."
That largely depends on the director's movements. A warrant for his arrest remains active, effectively barring the 76-year-old from returning to the US, which he fled in 1978 on the eve of sentencing for a charge of having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl.
The ruling cannot be appealed, and within hours of the ruling Polanksi appeared to have left the multimillion dollar chalet where he had been confined on house arrest since last year. He is free to return to his native France, which does not extradite its citizens.
Prosecutors have tried to arrest Polanski during his travels before, and vowed to continue the effort after Monday's ruling.
"The United States believes that the rape of a 13-year-old child by an adult is a crime, and we continue to pursue justice in this case," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said.
Cooley said his office will work with federal officials to have Polanski returned for sentencing if he's arrested in a country with a favorable extradition treaty, such as England, Thailand or Israel.
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