Director addresses pending rape charges
After months of silence, Roman Polanski is speaking out. The Oscar-winning director, who served time 33 years ago for the rape of a 13-year-old girl, has just published a 900-word public treatise: “I Can Remain Silent No Longer.” Writing from Switzerland, where he is currently under house arrest, Polanski blasted American officials for seeking his extradition. He both accused the U.S. of working to “serve me on a platter to the media of the world,” and made pleas to judges to be “treated fairly.” And he lamented the “very large sum of money” he had to pay for his bail, “which I have managed to raise only by mortgaging the apartment that has been my home for 30 years.” Back in 1977, Polanski spent 42 days in a California prison after admitting to unlawful sex. But he fled the country before a final court appearance for sentencing. His case remains open.