One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
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.
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."
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
