I could see it as a mitigating factor for him running away. Not really for the original crime unless the argument is that his judgment is just fucked up over all.
Never send a minion to do a god's work.
Glory ,'The Killer In Me'
Buffista Movies 7: Brides for 7 Samurai
A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.
le nubian - Sep 30, 2009 8:06:30 am PDT #4263 of 30000
"And to be clear, I am the hell. And the high water."
Jessica - Sep 30, 2009 8:07:26 am PDT #4264 of 30000
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
I don't think it's unreasonable to say that a Holocaust survivor might have a pathologically different view of jailtime than your average man on the street, and that his experiences there, at least in part, were what prompted him to flee the country. It's not an excuse but it is a factor.
(In the flight charges ONLY, not the rape, which is a separate case.)
Fred Pete - Sep 30, 2009 8:11:28 am PDT #4265 of 30000
Ann, that's a ferret.
What Sparky said. The argument I've heard is that he lived so long under arbitrary governments that, when some question came up whether the judge would increase the punishment, he ran because he assumed it was another arbitrary action.
It certainly isn't enough to give him a pass. And not something to make a huge difference in the punishment. But something that, if I were a judge, I'd want to add into the mix.
And yes, it's only on the flight issue. Not the child rape issue. Apologies for not being clearer on that point.
Steph L. - Sep 30, 2009 8:12:27 am PDT #4266 of 30000
this mess was yours / now your mess is mine
he ran because he assumed it was another arbitrary action.
Yeah, he should have thought a little bit harder about that before he drugged and anally raped a 13-year-old girl.
Fred Pete - Sep 30, 2009 8:17:02 am PDT #4267 of 30000
Ann, that's a ferret.
Personally, I think he should have thought a little bit harder about the fact that, if Charles Manson hadn't happened along, he'd have had an 8-year-old child of his own when all that happened.
Jessica - Sep 30, 2009 8:17:16 am PDT #4268 of 30000
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
Yeah, he should have thought a little bit harder about that before he drugged and anally raped a 13-year-old girl.
I think I made it pretty clear that I didn't think there were any mitigating factors in the rape charge.
Fleeing the country is a separate crime.
bon bon - Sep 30, 2009 8:22:29 am PDT #4269 of 30000
It's five thousand for kissing, ten thousand for snuggling... End of list.
Le nubian points to something I hadn't heard before -- according to Polanski's own lawyers, the judge wanted him to serve just 48 more days. 48! That's the miscarriage of justice his apologists are on about.
tommyrot - Sep 30, 2009 8:24:32 am PDT #4270 of 30000
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
according to Polanski's own lawyers, the judge wanted him to serve just 48 more days. 48!
Wow, I had no idea. And not knowing, I was assuming it was maybe five years or something....
Dana - Sep 30, 2009 8:25:14 am PDT #4271 of 30000
I'm terrifically busy with my ennui.
according to Polanski's own lawyers, the judge wanted him to serve just 48 more days.
Yeah, I read that last night. He served something like 42 days. Just over a month. And he ran away over the possibility of another month in prison.
I can't even bear to look at these fucking petitions in favor of Polanski's release. I've lost respect for so many people. (Et tu, Tilda Swinton?)
Amy - Sep 30, 2009 8:26:17 am PDT #4272 of 30000
Because books.
I can't even bear to look at these fucking petitions in favor of Polanski's release. I've lost respect for so many people. (Et tu, Tilda Swinton?)
This. It's heartbreaking.