Roman Polanski was arrested yesterday in Switzerland, which plans to extradite him to the United States. He fled in 1978 to avoid prison, after pleading guilty to unlawful sex with a minor, a 13-year-old whom he had drugged, who said she told him no. He had pleaded guilty to avoid a rape charge.
The Associated Press and other media seem sympathetic to him. As Elizabeth Switaj writes:
To read the news reports, ... you would think that his arrest was the injustice, rather than his crime ... As usual, when a wealthy man is held accountable for such crimes, rape apologism comes to the fore.
Foreign ministers for France and Poland say they will ask for clemency. But why should we give a pass to a child rapist, just because he has remained a fugitive for decades, thanks to rich and influential supporters. He has never taken full responsibility for what he did.
I've written about his case before.
ETA to take out the incorrect stuff.