I bet if you ask rape victims, many will not voice support prison time for the rapist.

[daedalus_dude]

Some suffer from Stockholm syndrome. Some are afraid of the shame. Some don't want their families to break up (by sending their father to jail for instance). Some are afraid of revenge.

There can be several personal reasons why a crime victim does not feel empowered to speak out against the criminal. That's why criminal law works independent of the victims personal opinion.

Polanski should go to jail. And he should get additional time for fleeing the country.

[pnwmom]

1. Many wouldn't want to have to go through a trial. Or the publicity. n/t

[Democracyinkind]

2. I bet if you searched before making a thread, you would notice the redundant redundancy.

[Hekate]

3. There is no other violent crime where one would even think of asking the victim...

... such a thing.

A man walks down the street -- he is assaulted and robbed and injured. No one says, "Do you want to press charges?" A man attends a party -- he is drugged and assaulted and injured. No one says, "Do you want to press charges?" No one says -- "What were you wearing at the time?"

It's pretty automatic, afaik. Cops are called, ambulances too. The Law takes over from there on out, as does Medicine.

The injured victim of a crime should not be asked if they "want" to press charges, nor should they be asked "if" the perpetrator "ought" to be punished by the law and to what extent. The legal system is supposed to mete out justice, not the injured party.

Polanski, iirc, made a plea bargain all those years ago and pled guilty to reduced charges. Didn't he? Then he skipped the country.

I agree with you completely. Time for this saga to end with Polanski doing his time in jail. When he gets out he can make a movie about how the Americans don't understand the artistic temperament and he can win the Palm D'Or or something.

Hekate

[madmusic]

4. TalkLeft has a link to her declaration

Roman Polanski to Fight Extradition, Seek Bail

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2009/9/28/155051/358

Direct link to the declaration, in case you don't want to put words in her mouth.

http://www.talkleft.com/legal/polanskivictim.pdf

[uppityperson]

5. Thank you, sincerely. There is no other violent crime where one would even THINK of asking the victi

thank you thank you thank you.

However, asking me, 30 yrs later if I'd want my rapist to spend time in prison? Yes. I would want him locked up for a while, then let out to be closely monitored as a sex offender and made to do a bunch of community action work with a DVSA program.

[marions ghost]

7. agree with you but

PLEASE don't make this into artist-bashing.

Americans "not understanding the artistic temperament" has nothing to do with whether Polanski should be punished for rape.

Nothing, nada, zero. :(

Meanwhile those who rape the entire country go free.

[Hannah Bell]

10. but, you know, *claiming* Polanski feels that way makes him ever so much more evil.

[marions ghost]

11. OK you mean

by connecting it with art--ie. creative intention-- he looks more evil. Yes I get that. But there is an extrapolation in the preceeding post that includes a stab at all artists.

Among many PC liberals, who wouldn't think of disparaging minorities or people considered different, there is NO problem with dissing artists.

[Hekate]

13. I'm not taking a stab at all artists, f'pete'sake. I didn't think a sarcasm smiley was necessary...

... in order to put a cartoon thought-bubble above the perp's head. Why does he think he can get away with this? Is he a legend in his own mind? Perhaps (says the verbal cartoonist) he thinks Le Bourgeoisie Americains misunderstand the needs of his artistic temperament. Well screw him, personally and uniquely. How does this sentiment hurt other artists? And what on earth does it have to do with the metaphorical "rape" of our political system?

My head hurts.

Hekate

edited to add: This is what got me involved in something I've studiously tried to avoid reading about for decades: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/polanskib10.html His method seemed very practiced to me, and frankly made my flesh crawl.

[marions ghost]

15. well maybe you need that sarcasm smiley

to make it crystal clear.:) The way you wrote it implies that his "artistic temperament" is being used as a cover for his crime. Please don't continue to spread that lie.

Read it again. Polanski = artist with delusions of grandeur = unpunished rapist

The literal minded WILL take you literally.

It's because he is a CELEBRITY and gets away with it OJ style, not because he is an artist, or demands consideration because of being an artist. What a bizarre thought--and yet it has caught on. This IS perpetrating the notion of "artist" as a kind of antisocial weirdo stereotype. I'm not saying you intended this--just that it shows a certain lack of sensitivity (very common even in people who are progressives).

Rape of the political system is generally seen as a lesser crime than what Polanski did. I'm saying that we should treat white collar crime as we do rape. Yes, Polanski should do time, but it's this kind of "violent" crime that gets all the press, not what the hijackers of government & business have done. We have all been violated by our leaders. Just making a general statement about hoe people get so worked up about these things while huge crimes go unpunished.

[madmusic]

9. The police might ask "Do you want to press charges?"

And I probably wouldn't.

[proteus_lives]

6. We've disagreed before but I stand with you on this.

The rapist Polanski should be in jail. Criminal law is separate.

[D-Lee]

8. Modern prosecutors make independent judgments, not exclusively rely on victim wishes

This actually takes the pressure OFF the victim.

Polanski? Hey, plead guilty, be out on bail pending sentencing, skip town ...

Oh, bringing him back, that is just SO unfair! Really?

[Odin2005]

12. The secondary emotional trauma is exactly why many victims don't press charges.

Polanski should spend the rest of his life in a jail cell.

[Echo In Light]

14. POLANSKI!!!