Backlash builds against support of Polanski

[Billnew]

How did he not serve time is beyond me.

He fled while on bail

Yes.
And the victim no longer has interest in his prosecution

Thats fine since he was already tried, he just has to face punishment, which he fled from. Volunteering for a mental institution isn't punishment.
He fled because he believed the judge would change his mind. Well that judge isn't going to hear this case. HE was guilty & He was never punished. IE he needs to see punishment for the original crime, and punishment for fleeing.

I have counseled a good number of rape victims who weren't interested in prosecution, either. Does that mean we should let these guys off scot free?

Many rape victims aren't "interested" in prosecution because they know the score. They don't want to be made out like some trashy harlot who was asking for it. They don't want their personal lives on display during a trial. I don't blame them.

Sadly, even the most innocent fear this too. We all must demand that these crimes not be allowed to bring this into question. Date rape sadly is another issue. Brutal rape, where the victim obviously had no say in the matter, should not be allowed to speak of any past sexual encounters.
The exception if they cried rape before, and never proved it, or case was dismissed. (I know this will make anyone that reports a rape but not have enough evidence, an easy mark for future rapes, as people won't believe them.Ie cried wolf to many times.) But like that College team shows, a woman can create a mess by lying about the attack.

nor do I... but rape requires a complaining victim.

The complaining victim was 13 yrs old when she complained. That part of the case was done. He fled before facing punishment, thus he has to be punished. Judge might have been planning to renig on the deal, but when he left, the deal was over, no matter what the judge was planning.
He is a convicted felon, but has not faced punishment.

Like I said before, He must face punishment for the original crime(even if plea bargained to stat rape.) and than face punishment for fleeing justice.

The victim is no longer apart of this action. She saw her complaint
worked, and he was found guilty. He never was sentenced. Judge okayed his hospitalization. Doesn't mean he doesn't have to face punishment now.
How about this,
All criminals go to court, and are found guilty, they all flee prior to sentencing, we should just forget punishing them, just because they got their day in court?
The only way I can see this is his money and fame are affecting peoples
attitudes. This is a sleeze ball that slipped a 13 yr old champange and drugs, and then when she couldn't say no, he had sex with her. Rape, except in California.(I beleive California law says the victim must try to tell the attacker no. which an uncontious person can't do.)

Come on people, this case is simple. HE fled before he was sentenced, he must face punishment.

 

[AmyGlen]

MariaRegina asked: Did he ever express remorse or sorrow?

Yes.
And the victim no longer has interest in his prosecution

When has Polanski shown any remorse for what he did? Here's a quote from Polanski about the victim (this is from Eugene Robertson's article in the Washington Post):

"Was Polanski filled with remorse? Not when the British novelist Martin Amis interviewed him in 1979. "If I had killed somebody, it wouldn't have had so much appeal to the press, you see?" Polanski told Amis. "But ...(having sex), you see, and the young girls. Judges want to (have sex with) young girls. Juries want to (have sex with) young girls. Everyone wants to (have sex with) young girls!"
I've had no choice but to bleach the color out of Polanski's language. For "having sex," he used an Anglo-Saxon vulgarity that I couldn't even think about printing in a family newspaper."

So basically he thinks that the judges, juries, criminal justice system, etc, are just jealous of him because he got to brutally rape a 13 year old girl and they didn't. This doesn't exactly sound like he's shown any remorse at all for what he did.

 

[AmyGlen]

I have counseled a good number of rape victims who weren't interested in prosecution, either. Does that mean we should let these guys off scot free?

Many rape victims aren't "interested" in prosecution because they know the score. They don't want to be made out like some trashy harlot who was asking for it. They don't want their personal lives on display during a trial. I don't blame them.

Back in the 70's Geimer was bashed by the media for being a "Lolita" so it's no wonder she just wants all of this to go away. It's been even worse for her than other rape victims because she's had to deal with the rich and powerful bashing her and saying she must be at fault for what happened.

I don't think people really understand just how traumatic rape is and how humiliated, ashamed, scared, and vulnerable victims feel. Many rape victims want it all to just go away, to forget about it so they can go on with their lives. It really is different from other crimes because victims tend to feel shame for what has happened, even in our more enlightened society. Victims shouldn't feel any shame at all, but many can't help it. It is a horribly intrusive and traumatic crime and I can sympathize with the victim who probably wants all of this to just go away, but justice still needs to be served against the man who committed such a vile crime against her.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Rape is the ONLY crime I know of where the victim is allowed to be revictimized on the stand. I read about one case where the defense wanted the victim to re-enact the rape right there in the court.

Back in the 70's Geimer was bashed by the media for being a "Lolita" so it's no wonder she just wants all of this to go away. It's been even worse for her than other rape victims because she's had to deal with the rich and powerful bashing her and saying she must be at fault for what happened.

I don't think people really understand just how traumatic rape is and how humiliated, ashamed, scared, and vulnerable victims feel. Many rape victims want it all to just go away, to forget about it so they can go on with their lives. It really is different from other crimes because victims tend to feel shame for what has happened, even in our more enlightened society. Victims shouldn't feel any shame at all, but many can't help it. It is a horribly intrusive and traumatic crime and I can sympathize with the victim who probably wants all of this to just go away, but justice still needs to be served against the man who committed such a vile crime against her.

 

[Rotator]

Rape is the ONLY crime I know of where the victim is allowed to be revictimized on the stand. I read about one case where the defense wanted the victim to re-enact the rape right there in the court.

Really? That's kind of a narrow minded way of looking at things. You don't think that every victim of every crime who testifies relives the crime? Seriously?

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Really? That's kind of a narrow minded way of looking at things. You don't think that every victim of every crime who testifies relives the crime? Seriously?

Yes,Of course,Is that even a serious question.I also believe they re live it all the time,If not everyday.I also believe all the attention this rapist is getting,Is making her relive it.How could it not?Even with therapy victims still relives this kind of stuff.

 

[Autumnleaf]

Did he rape her or was it a statutory thing? It wasn't so long ago that 13 years old was old enough to be married.

 

[AmyGlen]

Did he rape her or was it a statutory thing? It wasn't so long ago that 13 years old was old enough to be married.

It was rape. He drugged and then raped her. If you read her testimony he gave her alcohol and pills and she kept crying and asking him to stop but he wouldn't listen. No matter what Whoopi says it was "rape-rape".

 

[rambot]

Back in the 70's Geimer was bashed by the media for being a "Lolita" so it's no wonder she just wants all of this to go away. It's been even worse for her than other rape victims because she's had to deal with the rich and powerful bashing her and saying she must be at fault for what happened.

I don't think people really understand just how traumatic rape is and how humiliated, ashamed, scared, and vulnerable victims feel. Many rape victims want it all to just go away, to forget about it so they can go on with their lives. It really is different from other crimes because victims tend to feel shame for what has happened, even in our more enlightened society. Victims shouldn't feel any shame at all, but many can't help it. It is a horribly intrusive and traumatic crime and I can sympathize with the victim who probably wants all of this to just go away, but justice still needs to be served against the man who committed such a vile crime against her.

The point is that Geimer is complaining that every time the issue comes up again, she is upset by what is happenning in the press in addition to the details revealed by prosecutors in court. So if there wasn't this continueing chase game and this constant threat of it being replayed in the media, then she could move on. It's those people who are trying to chase polanski down that are causing her this pain.

You do recognize that right?

I am not saying the pain she went through when she was young was not real. I think what Polanski did was despicable and I think it was STUPID of him to run (though it sounds like there were some very real concerns of malfeasance here).

 

[PreachersWife2004]

so how about someone tell the media to shut up? Let her rest, and let the judicial system deliver justice in peace.

 

[Autumnleaf]

It was rape. He drugged and then raped her. If you read her testimony he gave her alcohol and pills and she kept crying and asking him to stop but he wouldn't listen. No matter what Whoopi says it was "rape-rape".

I've known actors are generally ignorant for quite some time, but actors supporting this guy surprises me.

 

[TerranceL]

nor do I... but rape requires a complaining victim.

And we have one. It matters not that she's no longer complaining.

 

[Yusuf Evans]

Why can't those be accepted?

She may have forgiven him, but that doesn't negate the fact he fled. Forgiveness by the victim doesn't mean he's entitled to walk free. If that happened, hundreds of other sexual and violent offenders should be able to walk free without having been subjected to due process of the law.

 

[TerranceL]

Not only that it would open up alot of victims of all kinds of crimes to intimidation.