as she looked as a California thirteen-year-old
in 1977.
Polish Passions
Flare after Warsaw Reject's Polanski Extradition to U.S. (Dziennik, Poland)
"Of course,
for several fundamental reasons he should be extradited to America. His
defenders emphasize that he has reconciled with the victim, that she has
forgiven him. ENevertheless, Poland is one of those countries that decided to
prosecute rape cases ex officio,
since there are situations in which somebody who has a million dollars at his
disposal would buy off his victim. We cannot permit someone able to pay off a rape
victim go unpunished. The argument that Polański
and his victim have reconciled should entirely disappear from the discussion."
EAttorney Roman Giertych.
"In the
United States, where they prey on Polański as if
he were a war criminal or drug gang boss, judges and prosecutors are elected
officials. Just imagine a judge from, let's say, the state of California, not
having the opportunity to get on newspaper first pages without a case like that
of Roman Polański. Let's catch him, let's hang
his head on our office wall!?" EWriter JanuszGłowacki
The case of Roman Polański,
pursued by American justice for raping a 13-year-old girl, divided guests on
the Tomasz
Lis Alive program.
[Editor's Note: The show, on the air since 2008, is a talk
program featuring the major news and social issue of the day hosted by journalist
Tomasz Lis].
The film director is in Poland, and all indications are that
he will not be handed over to the Americans, even though the Polish Attorney
General's Office has received a letter from the U.S. asking for Polański to be arrested. On Tomasz Lis'
Monday show, Roman Giertych, a lawyer and former
politician, could not conceal his astonishment over the fact that Polański still walks free.
"Of course, for several fundamental reasons he should
be extradited to America. His defenders emphasize that he has reconciled with the
victim, that she has forgiven him," Giertych
said. "Nevertheless, Poland is one of those countries that decided to
prosecute rape cases ex officio,
since there are situations in which somebody who has a million dollars at his
disposal would buy off his victim. We cannot permit someone able to pay off a rape
victim go unpunished. The argument that Polański
and his victim have reconciled should entirely disappear from the discussion,"
argued Giertych.
According to Giertych, it didn't
matter that under the statute of limitations, Polański's
crime would have lapsed in Poland. Giertych invoked
an international agreement, according to which such a crime should be limited
only by the statutes of the country prosecuting the director.
"In such a situation, when United States sends us a
formal request, we have broken that agreement. We should have detained him and
let the court decide [on extradition], or at least we should forbid him to
leave the country," Giertych stated.
Writer JanuszGłowacki,
who defended the director, wouldn't agree.
"In the United States, where they prey on Polański as if he were a war criminal or drug gang
boss, judges and prosecutors are elected officials. Just imagine a judge from,
let's say, the state of California, not having the opportunity to get on newspaper
first pages without a case like that of Roman Polański.
Let's catch him, let's hang his head on our office wall!" Głowacki said indignantly. "God, what
are we talking about? It was almost 40 years ago, he is now a completely
different person. There's nothing to talk about. The essence of the matter has
long since vanished from the media and the political show," argued the
writer.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
"In Poland, a rapist of a 13-year-old girl would never have
been released on bail. Such a person would be immediately arrested and would
have no right to go free before a trial. The American system is different: you
can post bail and be released, but if you escape, we will pursue you until the
end of your life," lawyer Giertych explained.
"I understand some of your position," said another
of Tomasz Lis' guests, journalist Ewa Wanat, referring to the arguments of the director's advocates.
"But let's forget Polański for a moment;
don't you think other violent offenders might sense that one could get away
with raping a 13-year-old girl given certain mitigating circumstances?"
"So you say he must be branded, you believe he
absolutely must be imprisoned, arrested, crushed, even beheaded!" Głowacki would not abandon Polański's
cause. "Isn't it punishment enough for the crime: all this hell he is
going through, which you, madam, and the lawyers, are helping to create?" the
writer mused.
