Roman Polanski Sexual Abuse Case
In March 1977, Roman Polanski was photographing a young girl named Samantha Geimer for French Vogue at Jack Nicholson's Bel Air home. He was 43 and internationally celebrated — the director of Chinatown, Rosemary's Baby, The Pianist's predecessor in his own career. She was 13. Over the course of that afternoon, Polanski gave her champagne and part of a Quaalude, and sexually assaulted her. He was arrested, charged with six felony counts including rape by use of drugs, and eventually pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Then, in February 1978, the night before his sentencing hearing, he boarded a plane to London. He has not returned to the United States since.
The Crime and the Plea
Polanski was charged with rape by use of drugs, perversion, sodomy, lewd and lascivious act upon a child under 14, and furnishing a controlled substance to a minor, in addition to the count to which he ultimately pleaded guilty. In exchange for his guilty plea to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, the other charges were dropped. He was sent to the Chino state prison for 42 days as part of a diagnostic evaluation. When it became apparent to Polanski that the judge intended to sentence him to additional prison time — potentially years — beyond the evaluation period he had already served, he fled. His victim, Samantha Geimer, has since stated repeatedly and publicly that she forgave Polanski long ago, and as recently as 2009 filed to have the case dismissed, saying that decades of continued prosecution has caused her and her family ongoing harm.
Decades of Pursuit
Polanski settled in France, where his citizenship protected him from extradition. He continued to make films — acclaimed ones — and won an Academy Award for The Pianist in 2003. The United States placed him on Interpol's red notice list in 2005. In September 2009, Swiss police arrested him at Zurich Airport while he was attending a film festival. After ten months of house arrest in Switzerland, the Swiss government declined to extradite him and released him in July 2010. He has since traveled carefully, avoiding countries likely to honor U.S. extradition requests. The case remains open in Los Angeles, where he still faces an outstanding arrest warrant.
A Case That Refuses to Close
Over the decades, the case has generated intense debate — about the nature of justice, the relationship between artistic achievement and personal conduct, the wishes of the victim versus the prerogatives of the state, and the extent to which wealth and fame can insulate a person from legal consequences. Geimer has been consistent: she does not want further prosecution. The Los Angeles District Attorney's office has been equally consistent in pursuing it. The location where the assault occurred — a private estate on Mulholland Drive in Bel Air — is an unremarkable piece of private real estate today, but it marks a site where a young girl's life was altered, where a famous man made choices that would define his legacy, and where the American legal system was ultimately defied without consequence.
From the Air
The assault occurred at a private estate in Bel Air, Los Angeles, at approximately 34.129°N, 118.412°W — in the hills above UCLA and the Westwood neighborhood. The Sepulveda Pass and Interstate 405 lie immediately to the west. The nearest airports are Santa Monica Municipal (KSMO) approximately 8 miles southwest, and Bob Hope Airport (KBUR) approximately 14 miles northeast.