Cold Case!
Check out the following ARTICLE that focuses on the recent arrest of film writer and director Roman Polanski for rape. You may say “What’s so interesting about that?” Well for starters the case in point occurred back in the late 1970’s. Moreover, Polanski fled the USA back in 1977 after pleading guilty to the rape charge. Trust me-it’s a pretty interesting case.
Question: What should happen? Should the case be thrown out or continued and why.
I find it incomprehensible that throwing the case out would even be considered. There is never a reason to excuse someone from being subject to the legal system, from the most heinous of crimes to jaywalking. I firmly believe in an orderly system of formal social sanctions that our judicial system is supposed to help enforce. I understand how the victim does not want it to be prosecuted, but this is not a civil case. It is the job of the executive and judicial branch to enforce the laws created by the legislative branch.
I believe the case should be continued. He broke the law and never paid for it. He was a coward and fled the country, which is another broken law. He should be charged and punished for his past crime and charged for fleeing the country after pleading guilty to raping that 13-year old girl. What I am confused about is why it took the criminal justice system 39 years for them to find where Polanski was hiding. If they were really trying to find him it wouldn’t have taking the justice system that long. If it wasn’t important to them back in 1977, why does it matter to them now? They need to make up for their mistake of not finding this man EARLIER and give him a sentence. Just because he is a public figure does not mean he should be punished lightly and be forgiven for such a horrible crime.
If you do the crime, you do the time, whether it’s tomorrow or 30+ years from now. There’s no reason that just because he fled the country that any lighter sentence or special treatment should be implied. He should be held accountable for his actions, especially because he admitted to the act and pled guilty. If this was anybody else my feelings wouldn’t change. The only reason this is making the news is because he is an actor. Big deal. Welcome back, Roman.
I feel like he MUST be punished for the crime that he committed. It’s not ok for you to break the law, and then leave the country and basically hide out and hope the whole situation gets swept under the rug. It’s not fair for that now woman who at age 13 was rapped, to not receive justice and closer in this whole thing. I just don’t get why it took so long for him to finally be caught and the thought of charging him is now finally on the table. I’m sure he will have some fancy pants lawyer that will talk his way out of the crime, and he will get off with some very ridiculous charge or fine..very little jail time if any!
HECK YES!!! He already confessed to it, and he needs to be punished for his offense. ESPECIALLY with a minor!! He wrongfully fled the country and was in hideout for a long time. I think he NEEDS to be punished! its not even a question.
Well, I’ll have to agree with Kalib Hrbacek on “if you do the crime, you do the time” kind of thing. No matter how long or how old you are, doesn’t mean anything for justice to prevail. I mean, he decided and admitted that he did the assault and that only should be something that the courts and judges need to carry out justice for. By fleeing to another country and coming back with a status of being an academy award person doesn’t mean you can get away with things in the past. I mean definitely the past can come and haunt you and that’s exactly what it did. So in therefore, I believe that trial should be carried out and should not be thrown out.
I think that Polanski’s criminal history for the last 32 years should be checked out. If it is clean, I think the case could be thrown out.Of course it is a concern that he is making an example of how to get away with criminality – but I think it is wrong not to look at cases as the unique instances that they are. Samantha Geimer (the 45 year old woman who was raped by Polanski at 13) wishes it would be tossed out, and I think that throwing a old man in prison for something that is now only about the judicial system messing up, is ignoring the most important element (the victim). Whether this case is tossed out or not is not about letting celebrities off the hook or proving him guilty (he already confessed), it is purely about “justice” in our government, and using Polanski as an example. None of the comments so far have considered the lives of Polanski or Geimer, and I wonder who has looked deeper into the case involving them in 1977. Either way, Geimer wants the case tossed out and, if Polanski’s record has been clean since then, there should be a ruling with regard to Geimer’s wishes (not necessarily tossing it out).
I believe what Mr. Polanski did to that 13 year old girl was completely wrong. He should not have fled the country and should have paid the price for his crime. With that being said the victim wants the case to be thrown out, so that is what should happen. She is sick of the negative press and I think the court should honor what the victim wants because after all she is the victim. If they let Mr. Polanski off he will be one lucky man, but he will still be a pathetic excuse for a man and a coward.
the case should not be thrown out what he did was a crime and their should be consequences for his behavior. i understand that the victim wants the case to be over so she should not have to be involved anymore. he pled guilty so apply the sentice of that time and have him serve that. after all, he not only raped her but drugged her as well. i’m glad he has done something positive with his life but he still needs consequences for his horrible decisions he made that night.
I believe that he still should face the consequences of his actions, even if it was over 30 years ago. I think he should receive an even harsher punishment for fleeing the country after the type of crime he committed. He even admitted to committing rape and drugging the 13 year old girl, and in my opinion that means that no matter what his age, he should serve his punishment. Even if he is a highly successful director it doesn’t mean that his actions should be overlooked. I believe that it would send a powerful message to the United States citizens that justice will be served, even if it has been 30 years.
I really dont believe there is any question on what to do in this situation. The man committed a crime I dont care how long ago it was he should be punished. To not punish this man woud really be against any principles we hold as a nation. So what just because he went through hard times does not mean he should be let off. Even though the victim wants this all to be over, I still have a hard time accepting that this man would be let off for raping a girl.
I believe that Polanski should still be held accountable for the crime he committed in the 1970’s. What he did was unlawful and disgusting and he took something from that poor 13 year old girl she can never get back. He even pleaded guilty to the charge but he was too much of a coward to face his fate of punishment. I do not believe that because 30 plus years have passed excuses him from anything. I also believe that just because he is a famous director doesn’t excuse him from his actions. No one should get special treatment. If you do the crime you do the time.
I believe that the case should be given some time to cool down while Polanski sits in prison, and then speak with Geimer again to see how this matter should be addressed. Since it happened to her, and it happened so long ago, the ultimate decision should be up to her. I believe that Polanski probably has some mental issues because of what has happened to his wife that was pregnant, though it does not excuse his actions. If I was Geimer, I would let it go if I didn’t want all the attention of the press. But I would want to speak with Polanski face to face and make sure that he understands what he did was not right and that he will be the one that will have what he did on his conscious for and will be dealt with on his judgment day. It was so long ago, and there is no reason to make the victim’s life hell. If Polanski did it repeatedly, that would be another story.
I think the case should be thrown out because the victim has been through enough and doesn’t want to got through this anymore or have to deal with it. If the case had been brought to trial earlier I think it would be outrageous to simply dismiss the case, but it has been a long time since the actual rape happened and the victim just wants to move on. If we do that then this would become another case where money or status can get you freedom but for the sake of the victim we should let it go this time and take it on a case by case basis for the other rape cases.
I think that justice needs to be done. He confessed to the crime 32 yrs. ago and needs to pay his time for what he did. It would be up to the judge to decide on what kind of sentence to give. A way I think would be inportant for the judge to know is how he has led his life the last 32 yrs. If he truly a changed man or not? That to me would have a bearing on how he would be sentenced for time. I would be curious how the victim feeels abaout the whole thing too.
(How in the world can someone PLEAD GUILTY on a rape charge, have an arrest warrant 31 years ago, and direct an academy award winning film after the charge?)
Of course the case should be continued, rape is rape! 31 years ago or not! He’s considered as a fugitive (in my eyes) that had the wealth to keep him “out-of-dodge.” What I find disturbing, is that he’s not sentenced yet (currently)! The criminal justice system will eagerly charge and sentence an individual for drug trafficking to almost its max. Though takes precious time to do so, in cases where the individual is famous or wealthy, when the act is more against our social norms (approx. 2 ½ months)….hmmmm….Once again, please excuse my emotions towards the system.
I don’t think this case ought to be thrown out because it would set a horrible example for other potential pedophiles who are watching and waiting. The victim asked for the case to be thrown out, but I believe she only does so because she is tired of reliving the experience. I understand her feelings, but I don’t believe that they should be allowed to obstruct justice. Since he already pled guilty, she shouldn’t need to be involved anyway, right? I think he needs to be punished, and that he should not be let off the hook simply because so much time has passed. I believe that his Oscar should be confiscated, auctioned off, and that all proceeds should be donated to organizations and programs for victims of sexual assault. He should also be required to surrender some of the fortune he has accumulated for himself, since he was a fugitive the entire time. It’s not just the rape he has to answer to, but also the 32yrs. he has spent “living comfortably” in France, laughing, I imagine, at the U.S. prosecutors all the while. Each one of those years ought to have a dollar amount attached, that way, his traveling expenses would be covered, and a substancial amount could be given to programs set up for rape victims. He needs to pay for the rape, and for all the time he spent hiding from justice like a coward.
i don’t think that this case should be thrown out. It is a serious offense and he was adult having sex with a thirteen year old he should know better.
I believe his case should be continued, he plead guilt to the case and never served his time. There is no excuse for not pursuing an international criminal; however, it’s the least the courts can do to punish Polanski for his guilty case as well as for fleeing the country. No matter how long ago, an international criminal should be punished for his/her crimes.
Well he had his reasons for fleeing in the first place. The judge was set and ready to use him as “an example” that famous people are not treated differently. He knew what he did and was willing to pay for it but he was not willing to be the example that the judge wanted him to be which is why he fled and, if this is true, completely understandable on his part. With that being said I still think that he should be tried and convicted but I think he should get some time spent considering he basically exiled himself from america where all of his fortune was made and where all of his friends were. *not all of the time though, just some!*
The case is over, he pled guilty. But he didn’t serve his time so he needs to do that, if anything he should have more time for leaving the country but really giving him jail time I think would not do any good hes already old I think he should have to do what someone said in class which would be that he pay restitution to the women and her family and to make a commercial saying how he is a sex offender and tell what he did. Doing that would have a much greater impact.
The case should be thrown out. It happened over 30 years ago and the victim herself is sick of dealing with the public opinion. In cases like these, it is disgusting that we as a nation are spending thousands of dollars prosecuting criminals on past crimes where death never even occurred. To those of you who posted with the idea that we should punish criminals no matter how many years ago the crime occurred, what about the over-crowded jails/prisons and the wasted money we as taxpayers put towards tracking these so called dangerous criminals down? What about the criminals like Polanski who confessed to the crime and then became a functional part of society? Should they too be punished for turning their lives around? I think not.
I would say, bring him to the United States and continue de prosecution process. Why? Because he committed a crime, and it doesn’t matter how long the crime was committed he raped a minor bottom line.
Now, let’s think about on how the US CJ system will look if he does not goes to trial, the CJ system already looks bad just by the fact that there was not a correct due process since the beginning, the other fact is what would other criminals do if this guy walks away? other criminal just will flee the country, I know some already do that, but just stop for a second and think in the big bad message we will be sending to the public too, the people would think that we have a very bad CJ system and if u flee the country everybody is free and the arm of the CJ system can not reach you anymore.
Take this guy to trial and even the sentence is reduced he needs to get thru the CJ system and due process needs to be apply.
In any other situation, I would say that the case should not be thrown out and that Polanski should be charged for what he did. However, because the victim wants the case to be thrown out I think that is what should be done. Samantha Geimer is put in the spotlight every time this case is brought forward and this has caused more porblems than Polanski fleeing and the country and not being tried for what he did. There is no way for Samantha Geimer to completely get over what happened if we never let her forget it. She is married and the mother of three children and it is not fair to them that they are subjected to this either.
There shouldn’t even be a question…he still has to serve his time. Yes, they can argue that he has been suffering this whole 31 years…but I’m sure his victim has been suffereing too…even though she says that she is fine. Victims of rape are changed for life and Polanski needs to serve his deserved time.
I feel that the director should do the time he knew what he did in 1977 was wrong and pleded guilty. I feel that since he fled the country and has been avoiding the US. so he wouldn’t get arrested. I also feel that there should be a punishment for fleding the country knowing that he was supposed to be arrested.