Swiss Set Polanski Free
Roman Polanski is a lucky man -- and as of Monday, he's also a free man after a Swiss judge decided that the justification for Polanski's extradition to the U.S. was flawed. So, the "freedom-restricting measures against him have been revoked." Updated
Roman Polanski is a lucky man — and as of Monday, he’s also a free man after a Swiss judge decided that the justification for Polanski’s extradition to the U.S. was flawed. So, the “freedom-restricting measures against him have been revoked,” as the Swiss Justice Ministry put it in an official statement. –KA
Update: The Wrap followed up later on Monday with a report that Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley isn’t giving up that easily on the Polanski case.
WAIT BEFORE YOU GO...The Wrap:
A Swiss judge accepted Polanski’s lawyer’s move to block the extradition.
“In these circumstances it is not possible to exclude with the necessary certainty that Roman Polanski has already served the sentence he was condemned to at the time and that the extradition request is undermined by a serious fault,” the judge, Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, said. “Considering the persisting doubts concerning the presentation of the facts of the case, the request has to be rejected.”
“The United States cannot contest the decision,” Widmer-Schlumpf added. “This is not about qualifying a crime. That is not our duty. This is not about deciding on guilt or innocence.”
The news was said to hit the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office “like a bomb.”
This year, the ground feels uncertain — facts are buried and those in power are working to keep them hidden. Now more than ever, independent journalism must go beneath the surface.
At Truthdig, we don’t just report what's happening — we investigate how and why. We follow the threads others leave behind and uncover the forces shaping our future.
Your tax-deductible donation fuels journalism that asks harder questions and digs where others won’t.
Don’t settle for surface-level coverage.
Unearth what matters. Help dig deeper.
Donate now.
Ear to the Ground
After 14 years without freedom of movement, the WikiLeaks founder leaves London on a $500,000 flight to avoid stepping on the U.S. mainland.
Opinion
For starters, negotiating a plea deal would help shore up flagging support on the left.
TD Column
He can be extradited if the U.S. gives “assurances” his First Amendment rights will be protected and he doesn’t face the death penalty.
Courts & Law
"The United States is continuing…to seek his extradition," said an attorney for the jailed WikiLeaks journalist.
TD Original
The WikiLeaks founder will get a chance to appeal extradition if assurances aren't made.
Wikileaks founder will claim former Rep. Rohrabacher did so at behest of Trump in 2017 visit; president denies report through spokeswoman.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.