Background of the Roman Polanski Arrest
The following details took place during the issuance of criminal charges against Roman Polanski, as well as the identification and question of the Roman Polanski victim, Samantha Geimer:
Who is Roman Polanski?
Polish-born Roman Polanski is one of the world’s most acclaimed directors, responsible for the production of films classified as the height of influential within the motion picture industry; with films such as Rosemary’s Baby and Macbeth under his belt, at the time of his arrest, his celebrity had preceded him. However, Roman Polanski underwent a personal tragedy almost 10 years prior to his arrest as his pregnant wife – actress Sharon Tate – was brutally murdered by the Charles Manson Family.
Date of the Roman Polanski Arrest: The Roman Polanski arrest took place in March of 1977
Location of the Roman Polanski: The criminal activity undertaken by Roman Polanski took place in Los Angeles, California; allegedly, fellow actor Jack Nicholson had allowed for Roman Polanski the use of his home – charges were never filed against Nicholson
Criminal Charges Associated with the Roman Polanski Arrest
The French publication of the fashion magazine ‘Vogue’ had requested that Roman Polanski edit an upcoming issue; upon this request, allegations filed suggest that Roman Polanski photographed a 13-year old girl without clothing for the magazine – additional charges surfaced suggesting that the 13-year old Roman Polanski victim Samantha Geimer had been drugged and sexually-assaulted by the famed director. Subsequent to the police apprehension of Roman Polanski, the following criminal charges were furnished by the arresting officers:
The statutory rape within the Roman Polanski arrest involved a legally-defined minor – the Roman Polanski victim – 13 years of age. Regardless of any expressed consent or acknowledgement on the part of the 16-year old in question, the legal classification of the Roman Polanksi victim as a minor prevented her from engaging in any sexual activity
The Punitive Recourse of the Roman Polanski Arrest
Prior to his trial, claiming that the charges were false, Roman Polanski fled the United States in fear that we would not be granted a fair trial – rumors of the judge sentencing Polanski with 50 years’ time incarceration prompted this decision.
The Notion of Celebrity within the Roman Polanski Arrest
The prospective Roman Polanski trial – akin to the vast expanse of celebrity hearings – ran the risk for heightened notoriety for both the presiding judge – as well as for the legal venue – there exists supplemental considerations that are undertaken within any celebrity trial. Due to the fact that the public eye will be fixated on a celebrity trial – similar to the manner in which the public was during the Roman Polanski – the legal obligation of a judge is to exact justice in accordance to the precepts upon which the United States’ legal system was founded – in an unbiased and objective fashion. However, Roman Polanski feared that the trial had become somewhat of a ‘witch hunt’, and fled to Switzerland.
