Quite incredible in Europe how 'outrage and shock' has turned into a 'finally got the perv' sentiment over Polanski's arrest.

I can understand some of the anger at the seeming double standards of Hollywood and European politicians. I said here earlier that the accusation made against him was extremely grave. But the viciousness towards a 76 year old survivor of the Holocaust over something that allegedly happened 30+ years ago is quite soul destroying to witness.

As he hasn't been mentioned on this board for a couple of days, I'm just wondering if people here have also been swayed by American public online rabid opinion?

Not changed a bit. Hes a great film director. Be interesting to see if further allegations are brought up at the trial. Wouldnt be at all surprised.

I feel it is very indicative of the global change in attitudes; as a species we have become more vindictive and nasty. Vengeance is important; tolerance no longer matters.

Those delightful "victims" organisations have fallen silent due to the fact that the victim here has begged for forgiveness and not retribution, which doesn't suit their cause at all.

Are we now no longer able to judge individual cases in an intelligent way? Oh yes.

JK2006 wrote:
I feel it is very indicative of the global change in attitudes; as a species we have become more vindictive and nasty. Vengeance is important; tolerance no longer matters.

Those delightful "victims" organisations have fallen silent due to the fact that the victim here has begged for forgiveness and not retribution, which doesn't suit their cause at all.

Are we now no longer able to judge individual cases in an intelligent way? Oh yes.

I believe the person involved has accepted money.She is obviously happy,so why should the US government act on her behalf when she obviously does not want it to?
That said he did commit an act of nastiness,and really he did get away with it.I'm split on thinking he should have been punished more at the time,but feel it is totally inapropriate to try to do so now.

my views haven't changed in the slightest but I can see pressure on others.

The Swiss will find a technicality to allow Polanski bail which he will jump-to France.

His big problem is not the original crime-to which he has admitted-it's the unlawful flight.

I'm surprised he let his guard down.

This has changed my view.

bit.ly/sBkz6

Don't believe transcripts and guilty pleas Angel; they are the product of a corrupt system which demands admission in return for lesser sentences which often (as in this case, it is rumoured) fail to materialise.

Based on those principles, i guess we should just open the prison doors and let them all run free?

He should face justice.

I find the whole thing bizarre that it has dragged on for so long.

He will probably have his sentence announced as served - but the whole thing needs to be finished.

Just because he is famous - he should not be able to evade facing the music so to speak.

If he is innocent then he needs to speak out. If he is guilty of a serious crime but had been offered a sentence reduction for pleading guilty then he should make that clear.

The girl quite rightly wants to move on with her life and forget - after all this time it must be awful to read about yourself in the press in this way week after week.

I would drop the case and give him a discharge if it were me - if he faced the music in order to save the girl more trauma. That is what she wants.

without referring to the Polanski case in particular, Id say yes.

The USA jails more people than any country on earth. The sad truth is that money does count in the USA when it comes to whether you are jailed or not and plea bargains are routinely used and abused by the justice system.

Court appointed lawyers-apart from many shining examples, get paid whatever happens to their client.

The one great thing-although it's not a perfect system-with the UK is that the poor will still have access to a barristers who on the whole have great pride in knowing and implicating the law and a desire to win. Their clients will at least get the best possible chance.

That's why O.J.Simpson walks free from one court for murder yet still gets convicted in another-but still walks free.

basically-US law is stuffed.

I could point to just as many legal opinions that say the opposite to the LA Times-but most concur that the Polanski case-apart from the political implications of an LA DA seeking attention, is based upon revenge after 35 years and the law must never sink to that level.

The best though is by Alexander Cockburn of CounterPunch who points to the complete lack of interest now, and the pressure on authorities to cease pursuing the still numerous Nazi war criminals who participated in mass murder ,that reside in the USA ( and some in Australia where most went posing as Jewish refugees) as they are old or dementing or dying in nursing homes.

Sex now is far more fascinating than murder..even mass murder. It certainly gets more attention.