13 July,2010 11:18 AM IST | | Agencies
The United States yesterday said it was 'disappointed' by a Swiss decision to free Roman Polanski and vowed to keep seeking justice against the director wanted on underage sex charges.
"We are disappointed by it," said State Department spokesman Philip Crowley.
"The rape of a 13-year-old girl by an adult who should know better and does know better is a crime," he said. "We will continue to seek justice in this case and we will evaluate our options."
The Oscar-winning French-Polish director has been a fugitive from the US justice for decades since he fled before sentencing after pleading guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old after plying her with drugs and champagne in 1977.
"We think it sends a very important message regarding how women and girls are treated around the world," Crowley said.
The Swiss government said it would not extradite him due to a 'fault' in the US extradition request relating to whether Polanski had already served his sentence in the United States and said it could not appeal the
decision.
Who's Polanski?
Franco-Polish filmmaker Polanski was alleged to have given 13-year-old Samantha Geimer champagne and drugs during a 1977 photo shoot at the Hollywood Hills home of actor friend Jack Nicholson before having sex with her, despite her protests.
