Roman Polanski was 43 when he made the decision to drug, sodomize and rape this young girl

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By John Manly

In 1973, Roman Polanski drugged, raped and sodomized a 13-year-old little girl. In 2007, he told newsmagazine show "60 Minutes" that the victim was “not unschooled in sexual matters” and that “she consented.” There is no dispute a crime occurred; he plead guilty to it. While awaiting sentencing, he fled the country because he was concerned, perhaps even with justification, that the judge was going to sentence him to a long prison term.

For 30 years he has dodged, bobbed, weaved and gone to great lengths to avoid sentencing for his crime. If nothing else, any civilized society has an obligation to protect children. It is not a mystery or a secret that individuals who molest or sexually assault children have a high rate of recidivism.

It seems that Messrs. Allen, Scorsese and others believe that because Mr. Polanski is a tremendously talented director, famous, and wealthy that he should get a pass. Sexual abuse and molestation is epidemic in the United States and western Europe, especially among young girls. Roman Polanski was 43 when he made the decision to drug, sodomize and rape this young girl. He had been married, made successful movies and frankly knew better. Even the age of consent in France is 15.

Now dozens of Hollywood’s elite, including, incredibly, Woody Allen, are demanding his release. (Woody Allen. What a surprise.) In other words, if you drink thousand dollar bottles of wine, have an Academy Award, you can occasionally give a 13-year-old qualudes and rape and sodomize her with no consequence.

The justifications being put forward by the Hollywood elite and others in Europe are the almost the same justifications that the United States Catholic Bishops make when one of their own is disclosed as a molester. For example, Angelica Houston described Polanski’s victim to law enforcement officials as “appearing to be one of those kind of little chicks between - could be any age up to 25. She did not look like a 13-year-old little thing.” Former Orange County Bishop Norman McFarland testified he placed a molesting priest back in ministry because his 15-year-old victim was “fully developed and precocious.” There are thousands of sex offenders in our nation’s prison who did far less than

Mr. Polanski did to this young girl. If we are a nation of laws, then Mr. Polanski needs to face justice just as any working class man who drugged, raped and sodomized a little girl. If we are a nation of laws that is the only acceptable result.

jmanly@manlystewart.com
http://www.manlystewart.com/
Newport Beach, California and New York City

John C. Manly
Manly and Stewart Lawyers
(949) 689-7895 cell, (949) 252-9990 office

Manly has represented more than 500 victims of child sex abuse across the United States. He does not represent the victim in the Polanski case.

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more on Polanski

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/polanskicover1.htmlThe Smoking Gun Archive - polanski

http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/feature/2009/09/28/polanski_arrest/index.htmlReminder: Roman Polanski raped a child