Roman Polanski-rewarding a deviant

In March 1977, film director Roman Polanski was arrested and charged with a number of offenses against Samantha Geimer, a thirteen-year-old girl[1] – rape by use of drugs, perversion, sodomy, lewd and lascivious act upon a child under fourteen, and furnishing a controlled substance to a minor.[2] At his arraignment Polanski pleaded not guilty to all charges,[3] but later accepted a plea bargain whose terms included dismissal of five of the initial charges[4] in exchange for a guilty plea to the lesser charge of engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse.[4][5]

Polanski underwent a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation,[6] and it was expected that he would only receive probation at his sentencing. However, upon learning that he would likely face imprisonment and deportation,[5][7] Polanski fled to France in February 1978, hours before he was to be formally sentenced.[8] Since then Polanski has mostly lived in France and avoided visiting countries likely to extradite him to the United States.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Polanski_sexual_abuse_case

So the little slime bucket stayed away from North America, and continued his professional life basically unimpeded...just as if he wasn't  a rapist...people adore him, think he's brilliant...couldn't begin to imagine the reality of what he has done.  He helped that along by minimizing the circumstances, claiming the sex (with a 13 yr. old) was consensual, not mentioning the drugs and alcohol he poured down her throat before he raped her.  No...those little details were conveniently left out.  There was so much pandemonium over what happened to Polanski in the legal process, which was a mess, that the public's interest and awareness faded before all the facts were pronounced properly.  The so called "Judge" was unable to separate himself from his fascination with his own notoriety gained from this case, and how popular his opinions would be in the legal and entertainment world. While he struggled with changing his decisions, Polanski took off, as detailed in the wikipedia link.

Over the years interest faded, until an HBO documentary, and another film, revived the public's awareness, and brought the criminal and legal issues back into the limelight.  It started ironically, with Polanski's lawyers wanting a pardon for Polanski (!), and pursuing litigation against the Judge in question.  The little twerp has no shame!!  Then there were requests for Polanski to be returned to the United States to face his original rape charges... 

"Last September, the "Rosemary's Baby" director was arrested in Zurich on the basis of a U.S. extradition request stemming from a 32-year-old sex charge. In 1978, Polanski fled America after pleading guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old girl in Los Angeles.

He was freed last Monday after Swiss authorities declared that the U.S. had failed to provide records of a January hearing that would have shown Polanski had already served his sentence
"I'm not sure what I will do hereafter," Polanski told Swiss station TSR on Saturday. "For the moment I'm happy to be free."
http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/19/roman-polanski-happy-to-be-free/

So 8 months of "house arrest", and it's all good for Roman Polanski...he's happy he's free!
Maybe the woman who says he raped her at age 16 will have better luck seeking justice...but I doubt it.