L.A. Courts To Roman Polanski: If You Want The Case Dismissed, You’ll Have To Surrender First

Yesterday we noted how exiled Polish director Roman Polanski asked for his case to return to the United States to be moved out of Los Angeles because he and his lawyers basically feel the L.A. courts are prejudiced against him.

But the L.A. courts are standing firm and they’re saying if he truly wants the case against him dismissed he has one option: surrender first.

According to the NYTimes.

“In a court filing responding to the request, prosecutors on Tuesday argued that Mr. Polanski, who lives in Paris and is now 75, was barred from seeking dismissal by his fugitive status, and should surrender to the court for sentencing before any questions about his case could be addressed.”

Hmm, it’s a game of cat and mouse and if Polanski even thinks for a second that this is some kind of ploy to incarcerate him, he won’t do it. Polanski fled the U.S. in 1977 after he was charged with statutory rape and was convinced he could not receive a fair trial. There was a lot of prosecutorial and judicial wrongdoing in the case and much of it was revealed in Marina Zenovich’s documentary, “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired,” which has been so convincing and so strong, it’s basically the reason why Polanski himself thinks he has a shot at having his case dismissed.

Another reason why he might not surrender? He has no interest in returning to the United States, he just wants his name cleared, so it might not be worth the risk to the director who won an Academy Award for “The Pianist” in 2002

PS. If you’ve never seen his older work, do yourself a favor and rent it all. “The Tenant,” “Repulsion,” and “Knife in the Water” are amazing and some of our favorite films (you’ve probably seen the equally incredible, “Chinatown” and “Rosemary’s Baby” we assume and hope). But please don’t think because we’re endorsing Polanski’s art, we’re condoning his actions. The two are mutually exclusive, but we suppose we can understand how someone might think the opposite. We didn’t mean to sound so glib.