Swiss to Roman Polanski: You're Not Going Anywhere
BERN, Switzerland (CBS/AP) Roman Polanski is not going to skip out on a judge again, at least not in Switzerland.
The Swiss Justice Ministry says it has rejected an appeal from Polanski to be released from prison pending his possible extradition to the United States.
Photos: Polanski, A Life in Pictures
Ministry spokesman Folco Galli told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the government maintains there is a high risk that Polanski might flee if released from custody.
With good reason.
Three decades ago, Polanski fled the United States rather than face more jail time for his admission that he had raped a 13-year-old girl.
The victim in that case, Samantha Geimer, has long since outed herself, and in an effort to put the rape and public attention behind her, now supports Polanski's bid for freedom. She also won a $500,000 lawsuit against the famed director but it's not clear if he ever paid.
The appeal rejected by the Swiss court is separate from another case Polanski's legal team filed last week that also seeks the 76-year-old director's freedom.
Polanski was arrested Sept. 26 as he arrived in Zurich to receive an award from a film festival.
U.S. authorities asked for his apprehension and want him extradited for drugging, raping and sodomizing Geimer in 1977. At the time, Polanski pled guilty to having unlawful sex with a minor, but he fled the country after he became convinced the judge would renege on a plea deal and sentence Polanski to more jail time.
A judicial review this year did find there was misconduct on the part of the judge (who is now dead), but the charges could not be set aside as long as Polanski was a fugitive.
Photos: Polanski, A Life in Pictures
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