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Roman Polanski will not be Extradited to the U.S.
Swiss authorities today announced that director Roman Polanski will not be extradited to Los Angeles to face charges for having sex with a 13-year-old girl and will no long be under house arrest, according to the New York Times.
The reasoning was two-fold: some records were not sent to Swiss authorities and in September 2009 when he was arrested, Polanski had traveled in "good faith" that “the journey would not entail any legal disadvantages for him" -- he had traveled many times to the country, where he was "registered in the Swiss registry of wanted persons," without being "controlled" by authorities.
LA Times columnist today reminded readers that the case was about rape, not legal wrangling. "Let's not forget that.'
A Times analysis found that defendants in similar cases "get more time than Polanski has served -- even factoring in his 70-day stint in Swiss detention -- but less than his critics may expect."
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