British Actress says Roman Polansky forced her to have sex with him in 1982 when she was 16

[Liberal_in_LA]

Source: LA Times

A British actress took center stage in the Roman Polanski case on Friday, holding a press conference to say the famed director forced her to have sex with him when she was 16 years old.

Charlotte Lewis, who appeared in Polanski's 1986 film "Pirates," told reporters that the Oscar-winning director "forced himself" upon her in 1982 in Paris as they worked on the film.

Lewis did not report the incident at the time in 1982, and it's unclear why she chose to hold a press conference now.



Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/05/british-actress-says-roman-polanski-forced-her-to-have-sex-with-him-in-1982-when-she-was-16.html

[proteus_lives]

1. How surprising...not.

Polanski is a scumbag who deserves to rot in jail.

[area51]

35. +1 (n/t)

[marshall]

2. Is that a crime in France?

I know they have different age of consent than we have, and no doubt the proof of consent is different too.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. rape is a crime at any age..note she says "forced"

[closeupready]

13. Wait - what?

Is rape a crime in France? Gee, I don't know. We should check. :sarcasm:

[marshall]

14. She uses the term "forced himself on me"

She doesn't say if that is physical force or some other kind of coercion.
Sadly that point is argued all the time in cases like this. She had some reason back then that she didn't report it, and it was probably related to how likely she thought a case could be made against him with the existing law.

[DissedByBush]

21. Aspiring actress, respected established director

I wonder why she didn't report it.

Maybe to prevent her career from ending before it really got started?

[Old Troop]

24. She was probably asking for it - right?

[marshall]

28. That's what the defense would say

And my point is, this happened in France. They have different laws than we do. They have a different standard for proving such things.

[boppers]

37. LMGTFY, it's 15.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_consent_in_Europe#France

'The age of consent in France is 15, as specified by Article 227-25, which reads: "The commission without violence, constraint, threat or surprise of a sexual offence by an adult on the person of a child under fifteen years of age is punished by five years' imprisonment and a fine of €75,000."'

[Yunomi]

3. "it's unclear why she chose to hold a press conference now. "

Uh, because Gloria Allred just became her lawyer?

[Bette Noir]

20. Because he's trying to avoid extradition, so he won't have to serve time

for the child rape he confessed to already?

[truthisfreedom]

4. If true, it's really not looking too good for Roman.

He's looking like a pretty bad guy at this point.

[Frank Cannon]

6. Don't know if this is true or not

But the guy's a dirtbag, so it wouldn't be particularly surprising.

[Bitwit1234]

7. It might be true but why wait til now.

I don't believe all these women who come out of the woodwork years after the fact. They just want to be noticed. The first case was true and proven. Who in the world is this woman. She must think she can sue for a pot of money.

[Dappleganger]

9. Yeah, who does she think she is????

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[Prometheus Bound]

15. That was sarcasm, right?

[Blasphemer]

22. Perhaps because there are a ridiculous amount of people defending a man who raped a young girl

Many rape victims never discuss their rape. I would image that having your rapist being treated like some kind of a hero would compel someone to finally come forward. Good for her, I say. Polanski should have been locked away before having a chance to rape her. The man in unrepentant scum.

[laconicsax]

8. Too bad for Polanski he's not a priest.

Then he'd have the Church working overtime to protect him and cover up these allegations.

[closeupready]

11. Seriously.

I mean, if history can be a guide.

[Kolesar]

27. Father Polanski--sounds right...eom

[closeupready]

10. Where is her compassion?

I mean, that was a long time ago. Can't she just get over it? Geez. :sarcasm:

[Odin2005]

12. See, I KNEW he was a repeat rapist.

:grr:

[hyphenate]

16. She likely waited until now

because she needed to be noticed. Polanski might or might not have done anything--we don't know for sure. It's a matter of he-said-she-said, and nothing else. It also happened in another country whose laws are not binding in the US. A 16 year old sure knows her way around, and isn't as much a child as some like to think. Besides, she's already a liar--I checked over at IMDB, and allegedly, Lewis was 16 when she claims this happened, but her birthday is listed as 1967. So it either didn't happen in 1982, or it was later than she said. I trust consistency in any accusation, and like to think that a credible accuser/witness is--well, credible.

[cosmicone]

18. 1982-1967 = 15 n/t

[hyphenate]

23. According to another news article

She was saying it happened in 1981. So, who knows? Again, if I said something happened when I was 16 like that, I sure as hell would know how, when, where, and why.

[saracat]

19. Yeah, all women love to be "noticed" in this manner! And she certainly could have been 16 depending

on the month.And while we may disagree about a 16 year old, apparently you don't agree with US statuary rape laws, It actually doesn't matter how old she was it is still "rape". Blaming the "victim is absolutely unconcionable. But I feel there is no question that he is also a pedophile.

[hyphenate]

25. I didn't say he wasn't guilty

He's already been convicted in the US for statutory rape.

But I am also saying that "if" the incident between Polanski and Lewis is true, she has not made me a believer, what with the changing years and age, and the "sudden" decision to capitalize on it now.

If each of us, as citizens, are afforded justice in the form of a jury comprised of our peers and the clear constitutional right of being innocent until proven guilty, it is in our best interests to make sure that is how every trial should be prosecuted. We are therefore taking that right away from others if they are made to look guilty in the media. If we have faith in our constitution, we have to understand this right is for all citizens.

Every time we accept the guilt of someone without a trial and a conviction, we erode the very fabric of our country's greatest asset--the Constitution.

[Dreamer Tatum]

26. What a silly, blame-the-victim post

"She LIED. I know, because I LOOKED HER UP ON THE INTERNET."

If Polanski was Joe Polanski, a teabagging Republican Goldman Sachs employee, you'd want his dick sawed off on live TV. Instead, he's ROMAN Polanski, sophisticated European celebrity filmmaker. Hm. Wonder if that contributes to your bias...

[AngryAmish]

31. Completely wrong

He confessed to giving the girl a quallude and having anal sex with her (among other things). He confessed in open court to this. You don't get to take it back.

[hyphenate]

32. Then that's all I need to know

If he has confessed to such, then he should be punished. Not having that evidence prior to my post, my impression was based on what I had available.

[saracat]

17. It is time for Polonski to be put away and for him to be treated as the pedophile he is.

He is a rapist and a pedophile.This woman was 16 years old and in his employ.The age of consent is 15 in France. That is likely the reson she did not come forward.They likely would not have prosecuted it and she was in his employ. Seriously, those who do not understand her not coming forward amaze me. She was a child afraid of an adult and a rich powerful adult.
If Polonski were a priest and this woman had been a boy, everyone would have been calling for his head on a platter.As it is, the DA is only using this as a bolster to his original case. I am so sorry this creature has been able to roam free for all these years. I hope ALL his victims come forward and they bankrupt him.

[Little Star]

29. +1

[Nye Bevan]

30. .

[Lagomorph]

38. Why do I have a feeling...

that many Hollywood personalities would like to see Polanski walk, just to reinforce their own "guiltless" attitudes. Those were the days of "freedom" from society's constraints (and laws). They've immortalized and deified so many of humanity's scumbags along the way, what's a little rape to them?

[tonysam]

33. Yeah wait 30 years before "revealing" it.

Sorry if I don't believe you, Charlotte.

Evidently you need some money to jumpstart your ambitions by making up a "rape" story.

[Scairp]

34. That was my first thought

Although I believe that they could have had a consensual relationship, I really find it hard to believe that she would wait this long, especially knowing that another charge was already hanging over him when this allegedly happened. It makes more sense that she's either lying or is disturbed and has convinced herself she was raped. Also, the presence of Allred in this matter makes it even more suspicious. I don't know, does anyone else believe that this wasn't his nature until AFTER his very pregnant wife and his friends were slaughtered by a bunch of brain-washed psychos in his house? I think that people go off the deep end and act out differently after a family member is murdered and I think it really caused him to believe that nothing is forever and why not do whatever feels good, regardless of the illegality of the action.

[proteus_lives]

36. He's a rapist.

He shits on the memory of his murdered wife.

So if your spouse is murdered how many children will you rape to get over your grief? :puke:

[Darth_Kitten]

40. Well, apparently he didn't treat his wife very well before her murder.

From some accounts, she was wanting to divorce him.

[Nye Bevan]

39. I guess you also beleived Clarence Thomas over Anita Hill (nt)