This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Director Roman Polanski remains under house arrest in a Swiss town, having already pledged to fight his extradition to the United States to face sentencing in a 32-year-old case. Today, however, lawyers are scheduled to meet here in Los Angeles to continue discussing what "future legal moves that could resolve the marathon prosecution," according to the Daily News. This type of meeting is called a "status conference" and will be heard by Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza. The hope is to determine what will bring an end to the case, and the California 2nd District Court of Appeal has prepared a lengthy document listing their advisement in the matter, following their refusal to dismiss the 1977 case against Polanski altogether last month.
According to the opinion, Polanski has two choices: "file a motion to be sentenced in absentia, or drop his extradition fight, return to the United States and be sentenced in person, most likely not resulting in additional jail time." While they acknowledge their was likely "judicial and prosecutorial misconduct in his case that should be investigated," their aim is to end this "saga" as soon as possible.
