With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
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.
Polanski's Rape Victim Implores Judge To End Director's Case 'As An Act Of Mercy' To Her
Photo by Adam Nurkiewicz/Getty
()
Samantha Geimer, the woman who was raped by Roman Polanski when she was 13 years old, asked a judge on Friday to dismiss the criminal case against Polanski "as an act of mercy to myself and my family."
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Geimer, who is now a grandmother, told judge Scott Gordon that she herself had been serving the equivalent of a 40-year sentence as the proceedings stretched on. According to the Guardian, this is the first time Geimer has appeared publicly at a court hearing in the case.
“Samantha Geimer is tired of this. She has been asking the court to terminate this case for years. She wants to get it over with,” the director's attorney, Harland Braun, told Reuters on Thursday. Polanski, who has admitted to the sexual assault, spent 42 days in jail following his 1977 guilty plea before fleeing the United States. He has not returned to U.S. soil since that time, despite failed attempts at extradition.
The most recent developments in the 40-year-old case transpired in April, when Judge Gordon shut down Polanski's attempt to resolve the case from abroad with a promise of no further jail time.
Support for LAist comes from
“I’m just here to try and get things resolved—not on Roman’s behalf, but on the behalf of a fair justice system,” Geimer said as she arrived at the downtown courthouse, according to KTLA.
In April, Geimer sent a scathing letter to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, accusing the staff of failing to protect her, and instead using the case to further their own careers. "You and those that have come before you have never protected me, you have treated me with contempt, using a crime committed against me to further your own careers," she wrote.
CBS LA reports that the judge said he would take Geimer's request into consideration, but did not elaborate on when he would issue a ruling. "I commend you for coming in," he told Geimer, according to the Hollywood Reporter. "Your courage as a survivor is noted."
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Metro officials said it will be able to announce an opening date “soon.” -
While working for the county, the DA’s office alleges that 13 employees fraudulently filed for unemployment, claiming to earn less than $600 a week. -
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency. -
Tens of thousands of workers across Southern California walk out over pay and staffing issues. -
People in and around recent burn scars should be alert to the risk of debris flows. Typical October weather will be back later this week. -
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership says the cuts amount to 11% of the workforce.
Best of LAist