Whoopi Goldberg is a respected jurist
― velko, Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:45 (fourteen years ago) link
Obama's presidency isn't old enough to give consent yet, Morbs.
― boring movies are the most boring (Eric H.), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:45 (fourteen years ago) link
i don't think anyone is outraged
― omar little, Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:45 (fourteen years ago) link
It seems the mystery is, why now? That they couldn't have taken him in before seems extremely dubious to me.
― ice cr?m paint job (milo z), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:45 (fourteen years ago) link
more like "lol you really want to go out of your way to defend him?"
also, can we get the Swiss to arrest Kissinger?
this would be kinda awesome. except that there's no warrant for Kissinger's arrest lolz
― the taint of Macca is strong (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:46 (fourteen years ago) link
X-post - It could also have to do with the recent movie re: Polanski, which goes to GREAT lengths to paint him in a very sympathetic light w/r/t his personal history, the Tate murder, the judicial screwing around with the case, etc.
Look - no one is saying that he hasn't led a difficult, roller coaster life - Holocaust, wife murdered, etc. But he raped a 13yo. Fuck him and his difficult life.
― Adventures of Dog Boy and Frank Sobotka (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:47 (fourteen years ago) link
Morbs, you're making the same dumbass arguments that the actors are - the lack of punishment for some egregious crimes doesn't mean we should ignore them all. I think Kissinger's head on a pike would be lovely - but it's not going to happen, and that in no way excuses a child rapist from punishment.
― ice cr?m paint job (milo z), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:47 (fourteen years ago) link
he has to be in a country that will extradite and will arrest him on behalf of the US
Uh yeah, but doesn't he own a home in Switzerland? I assume he's been there at least once in the last 31 years.
― The Prince's choice: making a brush. (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:48 (fourteen years ago) link
Switzerland doesn't allow for extradition
― Mr. Que, Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:48 (fourteen years ago) link
there's no warrant for Kissinger's arrest
There has been (not from America obv), and there could be more.
I am not excusing rape; I'm an agnostic on what should happen to RP at this point.
― A Patch on Blazing Saddles (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:49 (fourteen years ago) link
they had to know ahead of time to have the warrant ready. i would say this is explained upthread but i think this is just a repeating thread all over
― steamed hams (harbl), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:50 (fourteen years ago) link
(whoops excuse me, i guess it's France that does that--not sure about Switzerland)
― Mr. Que, Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:50 (fourteen years ago) link
I've read that Chile is very close to issuing one.
― Roman Polanski now sleeps in prison. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:50 (fourteen years ago) link
"Polanski featured in a national database listing people wanted abroad for crimes, but his name was one of thousands. Stefan von Below, a cantonal police spokesman said officers do not "actively hunt" down people unless they know exactly when and where that person will be.
So until someone tipped off Swiss authorities that the director would be landing at Zurich airport on September 26 en route to a festival honouring his work, Polanski was largely free to lay Swiss roots. After four decades, they'd grown deep."
Still something odd going on here
― The Prince's choice: making a brush. (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:52 (fourteen years ago) link
who cares though, is the thing
― omar little, Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:54 (fourteen years ago) link
^
― steamed hams (harbl), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:54 (fourteen years ago) link
like everyone is making these arguments at how outrageous the judge acted, how he's a filmmaker for god's sake, but the thing is it doesn't change what he did.
France does extradite, but doesn't have to extradite its own nationals to the US. A Kissinger warrant has been threatened for years.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:55 (fourteen years ago) link
People who think prosecution by whim is wrong, mebbe? xxp
anyhoo, fuckittybye
― A Patch on Blazing Saddles (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:55 (fourteen years ago) link
fuck kitty?
― omar little, Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:56 (fourteen years ago) link
the SWISS BANKERS are getting LEANED ON by obama's SOCIALIST GOONS so they did him FAVOR by knocking his GOVT HEALTHSCARE TAKEOVER out of the news, even though it looks like they TOOK DOWN a notorious LEFTIST PERVERT
― goole, Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:57 (fourteen years ago) link
Missile shields, Iranian nuclear programme, it's all coming together
― The Prince's choice: making a brush. (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:57 (fourteen years ago) link
one leftist pervert down, millions to go amirite
― steamed hams (harbl), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:58 (fourteen years ago) link
Who are you calling a leftist, thangyewverymuchyou'vebeenawunnerfulaudience
― The Prince's choice: making a brush. (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 October 2009 17:59 (fourteen years ago) link
"Prosecution by whim" doesn't even begin to come close to accurately describing a case in which someone was properly indicted by a grand jury, charged with a felony, allowed to plead guilty to a lesser felony, then fled before sentencing. It's very nearly the exact opposite, in fact.
― a wicked 60s beat poop combo (Pancakes Hackman), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:01 (fourteen years ago) link
I think the questionable thing is why it took them 31 years to get round to finding where and when he was at any given time
― The Prince's choice: making a brush. (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:02 (fourteen years ago) link
it's questionable i guess but has no real relevance, there are many cases that pick up steam years later because of a fresh focus or a new person on the case or whatever
― omar little, Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:05 (fourteen years ago) link
Guys, let's drive to L.A. and ask to serve in the jury pool.
― Roman Polanski now sleeps in prison. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:06 (fourteen years ago) link
and even if it's a "conspiracy", the conspiracy's "endgame" appears to be "hey let's get that rapist!"
― omar little, Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:06 (fourteen years ago) link
prosecution "by whim" ie randomly seems like it would produce better outcomes than the classist racist control mechanism we're getting now
― goole, Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:07 (fourteen years ago) link
11 guilty votes, and one vote for "don't you obama hustlees have anything better to do than convict a director of a crime from before half of you were born?"
― omar little, Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:08 (fourteen years ago) link
The idea of Roman Polanski incarcerated is an anathema and a situation that we, who have the privilege of making movies, cannot tolerate.
This passage has received more than enough attention, but too much of it directed at "we, who have the privilege of making movies." The crux is "Roman Polanski incarcerated is an anathema and a situation that we ... cannot tolerate". In totally ignoring the circumstances of his incarceration, it becomes an argument that Polanski's art places him in a special class of people, people who not only receive special treatment, but rightly deserve it. And as it speaks from membership in his class to the rest of the world, it amounts to an elite's passionate defense of their own privileged difference. It's almost shocking to hear it stated so plainly. Like reading that wingnut's call for Obama to be overthrown in a military coup.
― That's not just me saying that, that's the Pentagon. (contenderizer), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:09 (fourteen years ago) link
This is to my mum and dad and to my Roman Polanski incarcerated.
― omar little, Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:11 (fourteen years ago) link
the idea that Whoopi Goldberg is incarcerated at "The View" is an anathema, and a situation that we, who have the privilege of admiring The Associate, cannot tolerate.
― Roman Polanski now sleeps in prison. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:12 (fourteen years ago) link
I wonder if any of them read it, to be honest - I just can't comprehend why they've all gone in to bat for this guy on this issue.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:13 (fourteen years ago) link
we hold these privileges of making movies to be self-evident
― ( ´_ゝ˙) (Dr. Phil), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:13 (fourteen years ago) link
contenderizer OTFM
― the taint of Macca is strong (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:13 (fourteen years ago) link
Maybe they all wish they were that little girl, privileged to share lukewarm water, champagne, and a sleeping pill with greatness.
― Roman Polanski now sleeps in prison. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:14 (fourteen years ago) link
Woody Allen, of all people, should know better than to stick his neck out on this particular issue (and I say this as someone who has zero issues with his marriage to Soon-Yi)
― the taint of Macca is strong (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:14 (fourteen years ago) link
it just speaks to these people leading some kind of totally, pathologically blinkered existence
― the taint of Macca is strong (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:15 (fourteen years ago) link
you mean the french?
― velko, Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:16 (fourteen years ago) link
well, I DO have issues with Allen hooking up with Soon-Yi, but they're not legal.
― Roman Polanski now sleeps in prison. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:16 (fourteen years ago) link
No, just the "intellectuals"
― The Prince's choice: making a brush. (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:17 (fourteen years ago) link
Polanski was largely free to lay Swiss roots
He probably enjoyed that.
― The ever dapper nicolars (Nicole), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:21 (fourteen years ago) link
transcript of polanski's plea is interesting. it includes a passage where he is made to acknowledge that the judge has not decided a sentence for him, it could be as much as 20 years, and that he'd need psych evaluation and probation reports first. which seems to undermine the arguments that the judge "reneged" on a deal for a short sentence.
can an ilx lawyer explain plea bargaining - can you bargain down to a specific sentence unofficially or is it just about copping the lesser charge and the judge still has discretion up to the max sentence?
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0928091polanskiplea8.html
― joe, Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:21 (fourteen years ago) link
based on my extensive knowledge of sentencing garnered from years of watching law and order, you bargain with the prosecutor--pleading guilty to a lesser charge than the charge that would be brought to trial--in exchange for a specific sentence or sentence range, which the prosecutor then brings to the judge as a recommendation and i think mostly always the judge follows it
― fleetwood (max), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:24 (fourteen years ago) link
^^
― rather shipped (J0rdan S.), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:26 (fourteen years ago) link
Here you'll take a guilty plea on a charge in exchange for dropping others, or in exchange for having the charge reduced somehow. Sentencing remains with the judge entirely. But America does seem to be different.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:26 (fourteen years ago) link
although, it's not always totally about pleading guilty to a lesser charge. if the charge has a range of, say, 5-25 years, you can plead guilty to the highest charge in the hopes that the judge will take the prosecutor's punishment recommendation into account as opposed to just taking your chance with the judge
― rather shipped (J0rdan S.), Thursday, 1 October 2009 18:29 (fourteen years ago) link