Polish prosecutors said Friday they would not appeal a court decision not to extradite Oscar-winning filmmaker Roman Polanski to the United States to face sentencing for statutory rape.
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A lawyer for Polanski, Jan Olszewski, told The Associated Press that Polanski’s reaction was of “great relief” and “satisfaction” that the irregularities in the USA procedure have been exposed.
Polanski, 82, has been doggedly pursued since 1977 when he admitted he had sex with a 13-year-old girl and agreed to a plea bargain.
Polish prosecutors are not appealing against a 30 October court ruling in Krakow, which rejected a USA extradition request. The decision, he said, makes it “possible for Polanski to start making a planned film in Poland”. He fled the following year to Britain and then to France, believing the judge hearing his case could overrule the deal and put him in jail for years.
The US called for his extradition in 2014 after Polanski made a high-profile appearance in Poland.
The judge acknowledged that the case was complicated but accepted the defense’s argument that Polanski had dutifully served his prison time as mandated. Polanski, who holds Polish and French citizenship, is wanted for a 1977 child sex conviction.
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Samantha Geimer, the victim in the case, has publicly stated that Polanski’s lengthy exile has been punishment enough.
