Polanski

No question about it, Samantha Geimer had deep misgivings about the photo shoot. At the age of just thirteen, she was about to step into the big time world of modeling, or, so she was promised. Her mother, like all Stage Mothers, had seen her very pretty daughter as a ticket to fame and fortune. It did not matter to the mother that the girl, being so young, might be uncomfortable being shown in this light. Samantha went along with the suggestion for the shoot but the nerves were there. Her Mother assured her that everything would be ok. Mr. Polanski would take care of her........ Roman Polanski was someone that divided people. His personality and manner, depending on how you looked at him, was either charming or annoying. He was brave or a coward. He was a loyal friend or he was a scoundrel who treated people poorly. No one in Hollywood was neutral about him. Polanski had a action packed life, much like the movies he directed. Born in Poland, he lost his mother and sister to the Holocaust. Through sheer wits and determination, he rose to be a top director in Tinseltown. His films, included the classics, ''Rosemary's Baby'' and ''Chinatown', won him accolades and riches.'. He also was quite the ladies man in the Swinging Sixties and Seventies. By turns elfish and arrogant, Roman Polanski became a force to reckoned with. In 1968, he married the starlet, Sharon Tate, and they were the center of all social activity for a while. That is until the Manson Family tore everything apart. Polanski lost his wife and unborn child, along with friends in the bloodbath. After the tragedy, he lived in a world of darkness. His films, already sinister in nature, grew bleaker and more alarming. This reflected the inner feelings of their author. Roman Polanski was always a dark character, haunted by demons. And, he had one fatal flaw: he liked very young girls......... In March, 1977, Polanski agreed to a photo assignment for the French edition of ''Vogue'' magazine. He was to take pictures of young girls, easy work, something he naturally enjoyed. He was introduced to 13year old Samantha Geimer and hre mother. Details were worked out where Polanski would take the girl for a couple of days and shoot the pictures around Hollywood. On the first day of the shoot, with the Mother not present, they went to various sights. One location was a pool, where Polanski, according to Geimer, enticed her to drop her top and be photographed. Geimer later claimed to be very nervous about this request but she went along with the director. Nothing further happened this first day......... The second day, March 10, Polanski had a different agenda planned. Polanski took Geimer to a few locations and took some shots but saved his main day's activities for a home. The home was his friend, Jack Nicholson's home. Nicholson, away skiing in Colorado, always allowed his friends entrance to his house whenever he was not around. His girlfriend at the time, Anjelica Huston, was in and out of his life now and so she could be around or not. She happened to be there this day, however. She met the girl and left to run errands. Polanski gave the girl some champagne and later, a pill to come her nerves. Soon, the girl was in the hot tub taking pictures while Polanski slipped behind the camera. After a short period of time, they went back into the house and Polanski led her into the bedroom....... The following is in Samantha Geimer's words, both to a grand jury and in later interviews....... ''We did photos of me drinking champagne. Toward the end it got a little scary, and I realized he had other intentions and I knew I was not where I should be. I just didn't quite know how to get myself out of there. I said, 'No, no, I don't want to go in there. No, I don't want to do this. No!', and then I didn't know what else to do. We were alone and I didn't know what else would happen if I made a scene. So I was just scared, and after giving some resistance, I figured well, I guess I'll get to come home after this''........ Despite her protests, Polanski had his way with her. He performed oral, vaginal, and anal sex on the 13 year old girl. Polanski was later to claim that the sex, the underage sex, was consensual. By Geimer's accounts, it was not. Either way, it was certainly illegal. California law states that sex with anyone under 14 years old is statutory rape. Even if the sex was agreed upon by both parties, he still committed a felony....... After the act, they gathered their clothes and started to dress. Suddenly, there was a pounding on the door. It was Anjelica Huston, who had just returned to the house. Huston suspected something was going on. Polanski opened the door and confirmed her suspicions. Incredibly, nothing further happened. There was no emotional scene played out. All parties seemed matter-of-fact. After a short time, Polanski left with the girl and Geimer was dropped off at her home. She said nothing to no one about what had just happened........ Soon, that changed. She informed her mother about what had happened at Nicholson's house. The mother notified the police and they arrested Polanski. A grand jury later charged him with several charges. They included: rape by use of drugs, perversion, sodomy, lewd and lascivious act upon a child under fourteen, and furnishing a controlled substance to a minor........ The media pounded hard on Polanski. Overnight, a celebrated director became a child molester. Polanski sex jokes became a stable around the world. Perhaps, because of his character in general, and the fact he was both adored and loathed by people, no one stayed quiet about this crime. Surprisingly, he had many people around him who spun his crime and made him the victim because of his tragic history. The memory of the Manson Murders has never faded from Hollywood, so, some tried to tie Polanski's seedy act to him being mentally destroyed by the murders. This may be true but it does not mask his already famous reputation for liking very young girls. His childhood horrors and brutal end to his marriage to Sharon Tate are not justification for raping this young girl. But, Hollywood, that great immoral toilet of society, tried to cut him a break with the public. But, the public wasn't buying it. They saw Polanski's true colors........ A grand jury was convened to see if there should be a trial. They decided a trial was necessary. Rather than go through a lengthy, public trial--- which he and his lawyers knew would not make him look good--- Polanski copped a plea bargain. He pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. The other charges were dropped. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the court ordered Polanski to go to prison for a 90-day psychiatric evaluation. Polanski took up residence at the Chino State Prison for his evaluation period. He was released after 42 days. The followup hearing, true to Polanski's life, took on controversy. Polanski's lawyers had expected to just get probation for Polanski. The probation officer, the psychiatrist, and Samantha Geimer were all recommending probation for him. But, rumor has it, the L.A. Deputy District Attorney, David Wells, and the judge Laurence Rittenburg,had a conversation. The judge was leaning towards sending Polanski for prison. When Polanski got wind of this,  he high-tailed it out of the country, first stopping in England for one day, and then, going to France. Because the U.S. and France do not have an treaty to return fugitives that flee prosecution, Polanski was safe as milk. He could never come back to America for fear of being imprisoned. To this day, he is a wanted fugitive........Samantha Geimer sued Polanski in the late 80's for sexual assault, and emotional distress. The case was settled out of court a few years later. As she became an adult, she softened her anger towards him. Now, she says, she forgives him for what happened. This is very charitable of her to forgive him. A victim forgiving her assailant is very rare. But, that doesn't mean the law should forgive him........ Throughout the years, Roman Polanski has made movies and news since the rape occurred. He continues to be as controversial as always, with people taking sides to defend him or persecute him. I am in the latter camp. He is a child molester, pure and simple. The fact that he has escaped prosecution all of these years is a travesty in justice. But, equally baffling to me is the people who defend him and his atrocious crime. People like Nicholson and Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen { Woody Allen talking about a perverted sex incident!]. These people, whom I know are thinking they are giving support in an act of friendship, are terribly misguided in their allegiance. I am as loyal a friend as anybody you will meet. But, there comes a time when a friend must judge another friend by the seriousness of a situation, particularly, when it involves a crime. Roman Polanski raped a child. His friends and defenders need to see this point clearly. They should not let their affection and professional respect cloud their judgment. He is a scumbag that they continue to associate themselves with, which doesn't speak well for them. If Polanski goes to jail tomorrow, he still hasn't paid his full penance...... Roman Polanski married in the 1990's and has two children, a boy and a girl. The girl is a teenager now. Not far away from the age of Samantha Geimer in March of 1977..........