Roman Polanski Free: Swiss Reject US Extradition Request for Oscar-Winning Child Rapist
BERN, Switzerland (CBS/AP) Convicted child rapist Roman Polanski is a free man.
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The Swiss government on Monday rejected a U.S. request to extradite the renowned film director on a charge of having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl.
"The 76-year-old French-Polish film director Roman Polanski will not be extradited to the USA," The Justice Ministry said in a statement. "The freedom-restricting measures against him have been revoked."
The Swiss mostly blamed U.S. authorities for failing to provide confidential testimony about Polanski's sentencing procedure in 1977-1978.
The Justice Ministry also said that national interests were taken into consideration in the stunning decision.
Polanski's lawyer Herve Temime said the director was still at his Swiss chalet in the resort of Gstaad, where he has been held under house arrest since December.
Switzerland's top justice official said he could now leave.
"Mr. Polanski can now move freely. Since 12:30 today he's a free man," Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf declared.
Complete Coverage of Roman Polanski on Crimesider