Troubled director Roman Polanski is vowing to fight extradition to the United States after he was arrested in Switzerland on Saturday. The film icon is wanted for sentencing over his 1977 conviction for unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13 year old girl. Polanski has hired a top legal team to fight the extradition request and free him on bail amid anger from his fellow film-makers over the arrest after more than 30 years on the lamb. Polanski’s agent Jeff Berg told the BBC today, he has spoken to the director since his arrest. Berg says, "His voice is strong… he’s very anxious to get this resolved and go home. It is surprising because Roman, for the last 12, 15 years, has lived in Switzerland, he has a home, he travels there, he works there. "His presence there is well known as it is through much of Europe, so this came kind of as a shock given the fact that he was invited to Zurich to receive a lifetime achievement award." Polanski’s French lawyer, Georges Kiejman, is also insisting it is "too early to know" whether he will be extradited, adding: "For now, we are trying to have the arrest warrant lifted in Zurich." The 'Rosemary's Baby' director was in Switzerland to attend the Zurich Film Festival when he was held, sparking anger in the industry. Officials at the Swiss Association of Directors blasted the move as a "grotesque judicial farce and a monstrous cultural scandal", while the country’s Association of Film Directors and Scriptwriters insist it is "a slap in the face for the entire cultural community in Switzerland". Polanski pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with Samantha Geimer in 1977, but fled the United States claiming the judge reneged on a plea bargain deal.
Troubled director Roman Polanski is vowing to fight extradition to the United States after he was arrested in Switzerland on Saturday. The film icon is wanted for sentencing over his 1977 conviction for unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13 year old girl. Polanski has hired a top legal team to fight the extradition request and free him on bail amid anger from his fellow film-makers over the arrest after more than 30 years on the lamb. Polanski’s agent Jeff Berg told the BBC today, he has spoken to the director since his arrest. Berg says, "His voice is strong… he’s very anxious to get this resolved and go home. It is surprising because Roman, for the last 12, 15 years, has lived in Switzerland, he has a home, he travels there, he works there. "His presence there is well known as it is through much of Europe, so this came kind of as a shock given the fact that he was invited to Zurich to receive a lifetime achievement award." Polanski’s French lawyer, Georges Kiejman, is also insisting it is "too early to know" whether he will be extradited, adding: "For now, we are trying to have the arrest warrant lifted in Zurich." The 'Rosemary's Baby' director was in Switzerland to attend the Zurich Film Festival when he was held, sparking anger in the industry. Officials at the Swiss Association of Directors blasted the move as a "grotesque judicial farce and a monstrous cultural scandal", while the country’s Association of Film Directors and Scriptwriters insist it is "a slap in the face for the entire cultural community in Switzerland". Polanski pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with Samantha Geimer in 1977, but fled the United States claiming the judge reneged on a plea bargain deal.
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