Rape Conviction Against Polanski To Stand
Rape Conviction Against Polanski To Stand
Polanski's lawyers will appeal the most recent ruling on the grounds that it prevents the director from receiving a fair trial. Polanski's lawyers had sought to have his 1978 guilty plea thrown out because prosecutors in the case had coached the judge who had accepted Polanski's plea.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza agreed with Polanski's lawyers in February and said that there was substantial evidence of prosecutorial misconduct, but ruled that Polanski must appear in court in person to pursue the issue. Espinoza gave Polanski until May 7, 2009 to appear in court.
Polanski fled the US because he believed that the judge in the case would send the director to prison despite having a plea agreement to the contrary. The judge in the 1978 trial has since passed away, and the victim in the case, now a mother of three who lives in Hawaii, says she believes that the Oscar-winning should be allowed to return to the US without fear of being imprisoned.
If you've been accused of sexual misconduct, including sex crimes involving children, you need the assistance of an experienced criminal defense attorney like Robert Michael Helfend. Robert Helfend practices criminal defense exclusively and takes cases in the Southern California counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura.
Robert Helfend can bring together the legal and forensic experts you'll need to build a successful defense. No attorney can guarantee that your case will be dismissed or that the charges against you will be reduced, but Robert Helfend can guarantee that he will fight aggressively to defend your rights in court, regardless of the charges against you.
Contact Robert Helfend today for a consultation on your case.
Photo Credit: Giulio Rasi