After 30 years, Roman Polanski asks U.S. to dismiss charges

In the latest turnaround in a case that has become Hollywood lore, Roman Polanski has asked a judge to dismiss the 30-year-old child sex charges still outstanding against him based on new information from the documentary Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired. The request asserts that the documentary provides new evidence that the now-deceased judge who oversaw the case succumbed to improper influence from a prosecutor outside of the courtroom.

Polanski, the famed filmmaker behind Chinatown, Rosemary’s Baby and The Pianist, was first arrested in 1977 on accusations he had sex with a 13-year-old girl he had photographed for Vogue. He spent more than a month in jail at the time and eventually reached a deal with prosecutors that included no further jail time, but left the country on the eve of his sentencing when he learned that the judge on the case planned to send him back to jail after all.

Polanski had already been a media fixture after his wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered in 1969 by members of the Manson family, a case of intense public horror and fascination at the time. Polanski has lived in Paris ever since he left the country.

The documentary in question, which aired on HBO, explored the dark history of the case and featured on-camera interviews with the district attorney accused of influencing the judge during which he hinted at his involvement.

The request is set to be heard in court on Jan. 21, though any outcome at this point—Polanski turned 75 in August—seems largely symbolic.

Related links:
Review: Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
News: ThinkFilm buys rights to Sundance doc
News: First Sundance acquisitions trickle in: Choke, Polanski

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