Trigger Warning: The article contains references to rape, sexual assault, and abuse.
Roman Polanski is a well-known film director celebrated for his captivating storytelling and unique cinematic flair. Hailing from Paris, he’s achieved great success over the years, even earning an Academy Award for Best Director.
However, his personal life has been mired in controversy, particularly stemming from a 1977 conviction for statutory rape, which prompted him to flee the United States. Now, with a Santa Monica judge scheduling a trial date for a rape lawsuit against him, the specter of his past misdeeds looms large over his reputation.
Roman Polanski to face trial in 2025 over rape charges
Renowned filmmaker Roman Polanski, aged 90, is slated to face a civil trial in Los Angeles in 2025 over allegations of raping a teenager in 1973. Attorney Gloria Allred, known for representing victims of high-profile cases like Jeffery Epstein and Bill Cosby, confirmed this development during a press conference on Tuesday, revealing that a judge has set the trial for August 2025.
Polanski has been a fugitive from the US for decades after fleeing to evade sentencing for admitting to the rape of 13-year-old Samantha Geimer in 1977. Notably, the director of acclaimed films like The Pianist and Rosemary’s Baby has faced multiple accusations of sexual abuse. This trial in Los Angeles coincides with another legal battle in France, where Polanski is on trial for allegedly defaming a British actor who accused him of abuse.
What is the rape case of Roman Polanski?
On Tuesday, attorney Gloria Allred stood alongside a woman identified as Jane Doe, who made accusations against Roman Polanski for alleged incidents dating back to 1973. According to Allred, Doe claimed that she was raped by Polanski when she was a minor.
Allegedly, Polanski had met Doe at a party and subsequently invited her to dinner months later. Despite being aware of her age, Polanski reportedly provided her with alcohol throughout the evening and then took her to his Los Angeles home. Doe claimed that she woke up in Polanski’s bed, where he allegedly expressed his desire to engage in sexual intercourse with her.
Allred said as she read the lawsuit, “Plaintiff, though groggy, told defendant, ‘No.’ She told him, ‘Please don’t do this.’ She alleges he ignored her plea. She also alleges that defendant Polanski removed plaintiff’s clothes and he proceeded to sexually assault her, causing her tremendous physical and emotional pain and suffering.”
Following the alleged incident, Polanski dropped her off at her home, and they never crossed paths again, according to Allred. While Polanski has seemingly continued with his life without much interruption, despite facing multiple allegations against him, his accuser “has not been able to return to business as usual since her victimization,” the attorney claimed. She continued, “Our client Jane Doe has demonstrated enormous courage in filing her lawsuit against a famous director who previously pled guilty to a sex crime against a child and then fled to Europe to escape sentencing,” adding that the criminal justice system in California had fallen short in delivering a fair resolution.
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Doe, who initially made accusations against Polanski in 2017, lodged a lawsuit last year under a modification in California law that extends the statute of limitations for victims of child sex abuse, allowing them more time to bring legal action against their perpetrators. Doe said, “It took me a really long time to decide to file this suit against Mr. Polanski, but I finally did make that decision, and I decided I wanted to file it to obtain justice and accountability.”
Meanwhile, four other women also came forward between 2017 and 2019, accusing Polanski of abusing them in the 1970s. The three women were reportedly minors at the time of the abuse, including artist Marianne Barnard, whom the director assaulted when she was 10. A British actor, Charlotte Lewis, accused Polanski in 2010 of sexually assaulting her in 1983 at the age of 16. However, Polanski denied all of the allegations.
Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with domestic violence, assault, or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO, or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
