Polanski Prosecutor: I Lied in Documentary

Says he Made up Story 30 Years Ago about Telling Judge to Give Director More Prison Time

(AP)  A former prosecutor says he made up a story he told a film crew about advising a judge handling Roman Polanski's sex case to send the director to prison.

In "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired," David F. Wells is depicted as conferring with a trial judge more than 30 years ago about Polanski's case. Wells said in the documentary that the judge took his advice in deciding to renege on a plea bargain and give Polanski additional prison time.

"I made that up to make the stuff look better," Wells said.

He also said he overstated his actions after being told the film would air in France, not the United States. The film aired on HBO.

Wells' statement on the documentary later became part of the basis for a move by Polanski's attorneys to dismiss the case against the fugitive director, who was arrested in Switzerland on Saturday.

Wells, who retired more than two years ago, did not handle Polanski's case but was assigned to the courtroom where it was heard and had frequent interactions with the now-deceased trial judge Laurence J. Rittenband.

"They interviewed me in the Malibu courthouse when I was still a DA, and I embellished a story," Wells said about the film crew in an interview with The Associated Press Wednesday. "I'm a guy who cuts to the chase - I lied. It embarrasses the hell of me."

Wells said he was sorry about making the comments for the documentary.

"I cost the DA's office a lot of money and aggravation over this," Wells said.

Polanski was accused of plying a 13-year-old girl with champagne and part of a Quaalude during a modeling shoot in 1977 and raping her. He was initially indicted on six felony counts, including rape by use of drugs, child molesting and sodomy.

He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of unlawful sexual intercourse; in exchange, the remaining charges were dropped, and the judge agreed to send Polanski to prison for a 90-day psychiatric evaluation.

But Polanski was released after 42 days and fled the country for France before sentencing after the judge reportedly told lawyers he planned to add more prison time.

Polanski's attorneys later argued in a motion to dismiss the case that the communications between the judge and Wells were clear misconduct and violated Polanski's constitutional rights.

That motion was dismissed because Polanski was a fugitive at the time, though the judge acknowledged "substantial misconduct" in the original case. The matter is now in the hands of an appeals court.

One of Polanski's attorneys, Chad Hummel, declined to comment on Wells' comments. District Attorney's spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said the office also had no comment.

Marina Zenovich, who directed the film, did not return a phone message seeking comment.

Wells' admission was first reported in a story by former O.J. Simpson prosecutor Marcia Clark on the Web site The Daily Beast.

Polanski's victim, Samantha Geimer, who long ago identified herself, has joined in Polanski's bid for dismissal. She testified at the time that Polanski forced himself on her - which he acknowledged in his guilty plea - but has said she forgives him and wants the ordeal to be over.

Wells said he would testify in court that he lied and has offered to give a sworn declaration to prosecutors about his actions, in case they need it. No one from the district attorney's office has contacted him since he made the offer several months ago, he said.

Wells said he showed Rittenband a copy of a newspaper that pictured Polanski with girls at an Oktoberfest event. Wells said he never talked about potential sentences and the judge would have seen the paper anyway.

Wells said he still believes Polanski should receive a much stiffer sentence.

[losercharles]

Polanski's GOONS went to Hawaii, WITH A LIVE NEWS CREW, and they told samantha Geimer to "PUBLICLY FORGIVE POLANSKI, or we will harass you and your husband till you do". Then they saw he children and they threatened to HARASS THEM TOO! ON LIVE TV (I watchewd in the Atlanta, GA area).
Geimer said she would IF THEY GAVE HER MONEY!

BUYING OFF A VICTIM MAKES HER COMMENTS AN ACT OF FRAUD!!
ALL THE TESTIMONY SHE GAVE AT ANY HEARINGS ARE CRIMES (lieing under oath)-- FELONY CRIMES!!!
STOP BEING A CHUMP FOR HOLLYWOOD PERVERTS!

[losercharles]

You are WRONG!
WOODY ALLEN MOLESTED HIS OWN BIOLOGICAL DAUGHTER (DILLON?) AT THE SAME PARTY!
Nicholson was FAMOUS FOR PROVIDING MINORS FOR SEXUAL PURPOSES, to MOVIE STUDIO EXECUTIVES!! And NICHOLSON WAS HOME THAT DAY, MOLSTING A GIRL HIMSELF!
How do I know this?
It was BROADCAST ON LIVE TV, and I WATCHED IT IN THE CHICAGO AREA!
I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO REPORT THE CRIME, OVER THE PHONE, and DFACS GOT THERE IN LESS THAN 1 1/2 hours AND CAUGHT THEM ALL IN THE ACT!!
(This was all covered up.)
Polanski was the only one to go to trial, BECAUSE HE WANTED TO HAVE SEX WITH CHILDREN LEGALIZED IN THE USA! Poor judge Rittenband tried and tried to explain to Polanski that JUDGES DO NOT WRITE LAWS, they just see that both innocent and guilty people get a fair trial and are punished fairly.
Polanski, as a BIG BABY, told the judge that he should do whatever he said, because studio executives PROMISED THAT THE JUDGE WAS ALWAYS FAIR TO CELEBRITIES, and POLANSKI DID NOT THINK it was fair to not give him what he wanted!!!
MIa FARROW, and the other supporters, have ALL CONSPIRED T COVER-UP MILLIONS of HOLLYWOOD FELONIES, while publicly PRETENDING THAT THEY ARE "PROTECTING CHILDREN". The news media are part of the conspiracy!

[shazmiforce]

I smell someone knows me too well here....Take off your burka let me see that pretty face bumbble bee....lololol

[shazmiforce]

Actually the real sex starts after 35 before that its just the birds stuff ....lololol

[tomanyt]

shazmiforce...So SweetPea, you would have waited until your 18?? Somehow I doubt that very much, sugarlumps.

[jimmyc1955]

Appropriate assumes consensual - this wasn't consensual. It was a dirty nasty old man who drugged and liquored up a 13 year old, and penetrated her every way he could, not matter how often she said NO. No is NO.

He is a child rapist and he needs to serve his sentence.

[shazmiforce]

Yes? sweet cakes I said 18 is not a bad number ....But the world we live in where any age is considered okay by certain group of human beings ....

[tomanyt]

shazmiforce....
The question was: What is the "appropriate" age for a human being to have s.e.x????

[shazmiforce]

Well this was a rape of a 13 years old against her will.....

At what age to have sex per say is total different issue...

18 is not a bad number but as soon as a person understands the consequences of his sexual desires ...He can go ahead and have it and create future generations ....We are not against sex by any means ...We dispise paedophiles,rapists....

[tomanyt]

What is the "appropriate" age for a human being to have s.e.x????

[jimmyc1955]

It isn't 13

[shazmiforce]

Yes? Priests are wrong and so is polanski raping and sodomizing a 13years old girl against her will ...Its a horrible act and a serious crime for which this man must pay the price for not keeping his *********** deli in check.....Hang em high...Fight for children protect our children from these deviant thugs....

[chaseangus]

I think the man is a "short eyes" and everyone in the house when it happened "short eyes by proxy" BUT...Let the man come home. What we need in this country is one more citizen unwilling to show any remorse or shame for his/her actions. One more citizen who won't take responsibility for his/her actions. Clearly, the man thought having sex with a 13 year old was appropriate or he would not have done it. And, because he's highly functional and has won acclaim for his work, he only does things in which he takes pride. So...Why not come home. Proudly do the time and then fight for an adult's right to have sex with minors. He clearly thinks it is a very right thing to do.

[shazmiforce]

Woopi goldberg,woody allen the paedophile himself,Debra winger totally wasted are the trash cans of hollywood ...No wonder they are defending this another trash paedophile rapist.....

[shazmiforce]

Unbelievable to say the least that this paedophile rapist thug helped made this documentary and had this prosecuter lie for polanski to help himself...That is a total thuggery,an evil act by it self ...I would recommend death by hanging for such a horrible act ...I have been watching documentaries for many many years thinking that they are usually credible, but now my faith in all those documentaries is shattered...America how dare you give lectures to the world of your moral high ground when you allow thugs like this to getaway with murder...Toast him,bake him,and let him rot in jail.....

[Illuminated1]

Right or Wrong, the case is old, the Prosecutors Office admitted wrong doing and the people involved aren't interested in prosecution, all except the DA.
31 years in exile should be enough.

[mjlewis6]

Geimer does not want her mother prosecuted as a co-defendant in this issue and neither does Jack Nicolson as another co-defendant providing the location for this 'crime' by Roman Polanski.

It is not about a fair trial so much as the STATE OF CALIFORNIA refusing to let go of the most powerful tool of prosecutors to bring before the courts suspects for court deliberations. All the paperwork was done and signed and was a matter of appearance in court. I believe Mr. Polanski's signature is there....just a matter of appearance for adjudication. If the judge takes into account Mrs. Geimer's request, which he will not as the paperwork is 30 years old....the judge is NOT constrained by what was agreed at that time.

So, better for Mr. Polanski to stay away and for the French Government to demand the return of their citizen from the Swiss prior to any extradition, which, by the way, is molification for the US since the SWISS still have not given up vital information regarding TAX DODGERS....but they will give up a supposed rapist. How's that for morality? Billions to hide....but here, we will give you this guy.

[justsane-2009]

the girl did not tell her mom about the encounter. she said in an interview with larry king a few years ago that she had no intention of telling her mother. her sister overheard her talking on the phone to her boyfriend, and reported it to mom. has it occurred to anyone that the girl might have lied about the nature of the encounter when confronted by her mother? she would not be the first teen to cry 'rape' when caught having sex.

the district attorney's office was willing to accept a plea of 'unlawful sexual intercourse' and time served for a case that was supposed to involve forcible rape of a minor. that seems to indicate that the case was not particularly strong. had it been winnable, you know that it would have gone to court...

[pvperson3]

Moral outrage my asss, I bet half you high minded jerks are typing with one hand and whacking off with the other. Your all just sorry that you didn't get the chance at the girl that Polanski did.

[jimmyc1955]

Even if I was wacking off with my other hand (actually I change hands a lot - I get cramps easy) rapping a 13 year old is something that would get you lynched, drawn and quartered and beheaded in many countries.

He is a criminal, a predator of small children who rapes them in the worst ways and films it for his later ammusement. He is a monster and should be put away as an example that there are still a few things that are considered wrong in our society.

[mjlewis6]

I think in 30 years, the prosecutor would have convicted the mother for child endangerment for allowing her daughter to be in the company of Roman Polanski at night on a date!!!

ABSENT that conviction, this pretended case against Mr. Polanski is moot, other than the fact he LEFT the country some 30 years ago in fear that the plea bargain arrangement had fallen through while he was on bail. Clearly, if the state THOUGHT Polanski was guilty, then, the other case should have gone forward.

It did not and Polanski should not submit to a trial now.

[jimmyc1955]

Its too late - he had his trial, he confessed to the crime, pleaded guilty. He fled the country before he was put in the slammer. His problem isn't the rape charge - his problem is evading imprisonment. He is offically guilty and has time to do. Now having fled the country he will get a lot more time.

I can only hope he gets a cell with a biker who has a 13 year old daughter.

[akfrosty]

charlie4481 needs to get back on his meds

[us_1776]

Wells version in the documentary was exactly what happened. And it shows just part of how seriously flawed and tainted this whole case is.

Now Wells is trying to rewrite history because he always had a personal vendetta against Polanski and I'm certain there has been plenty of conversation between the LA district attorney's office and Mr. Wells since the documentary and he is now changing his story so as to favor the prosecution.

Well's and the original judge's actions clearly violated the constitutional rights of Mr. Polanski and there is no other choice than to throw out this hopelessly tainted case.

[losercharles]

ALMOST NOTHING IN THE DOCUMENTARY IS TRUE!!!

I watched the documentary, and it NEVER EVEN MENTIONS THAT I WAS THE FIRST TO REPORT THE CHILD MOLESTATSION, THAT I REPORTED 3 CELEBS of the sex crimes, That I warned judge Rittenband of POLANSKIS' CONSPIRACY TO DESTROY THE JUDGES REPUTATION WITH LIES, after he (the judge)was dead, or that I HAD POLANSKI INVESTIGATED FOR ARRANGING THE MANSON MURDERS, and THAT IS WHY POLANSKI LEFT FOR FRANCE- BECAUSE POLANSKI ADMITTED TO THE MURDERS AND CELEBRITIES DID NOT WANT POLANSKI KILLING THEM IN THE FUTURE- AS POLANSKI SAID HE WOULD DO-- AGAIN, POLANSKI SAID ALL OF THIS PUBLICLY! NONE OF IT is IN THE DOCUMENTARY!!!

The DOCUMENTARY IS A POLANSKI STAGED/ARRANGED FRAUD! (Arranged about 30 years ago- PUBLICLY!)

Why did Polanski like stating everything PUBLICLY?? He is a true SOCIOPATHE, and LOVES TO BRAG AND GET AWAY WITH OBVIOUS CRIMES TO FEEL SUPERIOR! (no one has ever had the guts/money/public status, to stand up to the turd)