Roman Polanski Arrested

[GK Punk]

Too bad it's so many years late. Bastard had it coming.

[Sewer Bull]

Too bad his victim and her family are going to be traumatized by that again, thanks to the wide media coverage.

[Voltron]

I thought there was statutes of limitations on rape?

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

Originally Posted by Voltron

I thought there was statutes of limitations on rape?

I believe the idea of "statutes of limitations" applies to when a crime is commited, and how much time has passed until one can no longer be prosecuted for that particular crime. I'm no legal expert though.

In Polanski's case, he was arrested and charged right afterward, and fled the country after he was convicted. Technically he's a fugitive.

[kyabetsu]

According to the Washington post article though, Europe apparently has a different set of rules governing statutes of limitations.

Originally Posted by The French gov't in particular mentioned:

The former culture minister, Jack Lang, called the arrest "unimaginable and disproportionate." He added, "I cannot believe that, 20 years after an affair that would be considered in Europe as benefiting from a statute of limitations, Swiss authorities arrested Roman Polanski as he was getting ready to receive a prize."

The crime was committed in the US, prosecuted in the US, and ultimately Mr. Polanski is a fugitive from the US courts, but this may go a long way in explaining where the confusion and outrage from Mr. Polanski's supporters stems from.

If you've got different systems for applying punishments, then there's bound to be some international frustration when a favored celebrity is caught up in some one else's criminal justice laws. (Like when that US kid was caned by Sri Lanka's legal system for littering or graffiti about 10 years ago... HUGE outrage here in the US. But he broke that country's laws, so he took that country's punishment.)

It's just a little weird to hear protests from Poland after their huge announcement about mandatory chemical castration for pedophiles. I suppose at 76, Mr. Polanski is already naturally hormonally castrated, but nations don't pass laws like that without making a significant judgment on all predatory sexual deviants.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Talking of Charles Manson, I recall some moral panic or something when the Guns N' Roses performed one of his songs back in 1993 or something.

[GK Punk]

Originally Posted by J 1982

Talking of Charles Manson, I recall some moral panic or something when the Guns N' Roses performed one of his songs back in 1993 or something.

It was a hidden track on "The Spaghetti Incident?"

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

Originally Posted by J 1982

Talking of Charles Manson, I recall some moral panic or something when the Guns N' Roses performed one of his songs back in 1993 or something.

I read that the whole thing was Axl Rose's idea and that all the other band members objected to it.