Roman Polanski arrested for 1970s sex charge

Acclaimed Academy-Award winning director Roman Polanski was arrested on Saturday by Swiss police from a stemming sex charge in California from the 1970s.

The 76-year-old director Roman Polanski was arrested on Saturday, according to Zurich police as he was taken into custody. A spokesperson for the Justice Ministry stated the director of “Rosemary’s Baby” and “Chinatown” was arrested upon his arrival at a Swiss airport, according to the Associated Press, “I confirm that Mr. Polanski has been arrested. The American authorities issued an international search request in 2005 in relation to a 1978 warrant.” The widower to murdered Sharon Tate was on his way to a Zurich Film Festival, which is holding a tribue to Roman Polanski. Since 1977, Polanski has been living in France to avoid being arrested for a sex charge in which he pleaded guilty. The single count was having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who was 13-years-old. Polanski, 43 at the time, was alleged to have drugged 13-year-old Samantha Geimer with champagne and a Quaalude tablet. He then went on to do various sex acts with her during her photo shoot at Jack Nicholson’s house. The arrest warrant was issued in Los Angeles, California after authorities learned Polanski was attending the festival in Zurich. Swiss Justice Ministry authorities also stated he was put in provisional detention. It is unknown if Polanski will be official extradited because it “can be established only after the extradition process judicially has been finalized.” Sandi Gibbons, spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Office, said the sentencing process will resume even though the extradition process will be determined in Switzerland, according to CNN. Geimer has publicly identified herself and has supported Polanski’s movement to dismiss the case because she wants the case to be over with. Geimer had sued Polanski for an undisclosed amount and later it was settled, according to Al Jazeera. Currently, Polanski still lives in France and is married to French actress Emanuelle Seigner with two children. In 2003, he won the Best Director Oscar for The Pianist but would not fly to the United States to accept the prestigious award for fear of being detained.