District Attorney Steve Cooley responded to the Swiss government’s decision to reject extradition of film director Roman Polanski with disappointment, and said that extradition will still be required if Polanski is arrested elsewhere.
“The Pianist” director and French citizen Roman Polanski was arrested upon entering Switzerland in September 2009, as a result of an international arrest warrant issued by the US government. Polanski pleaded guilty to the rape of a child in 1977 in Los Angeles. The Swiss Federal Department of Justice rejected the U.S.’s request to extradite Polanski.
“I am deeply disappointed that the Swiss authorities denied the request to extradite Roman Polanski,” said Mr Cooley in a statement according to the office of the district attorney. He added that his office will discuss the issue with the U.S. Department of Justice.
The district attorney confirmed that a request for extradition was filed at once after the U.S. was informed of Polanski’s arrest in Switzerland. This is opposite to the Swiss reasoning. They considered the fact that the U.S. waited four years after Polanski moved to the country to to file the request interfered with “protection of confidence,” a principle of international law.
Mr. Phillip Crowley, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau for Public Affairs regarded the reasoning as “an argument without merit.”
For the potential technical errors the Swiss department alluded to in the letter of rejection, Mr. Crowley pointed out that a case of sexually offending against a child is not “a matter of technicality.”
“We will continue to seek justice in this case and we will evaluate our options,” said Crowley.
“The Pianist” director and French citizen Roman Polanski was arrested upon entering Switzerland in September 2009, as a result of an international arrest warrant issued by the US government. Polanski pleaded guilty to the rape of a child in 1977 in Los Angeles. The Swiss Federal Department of Justice rejected the U.S.’s request to extradite Polanski.
“I am deeply disappointed that the Swiss authorities denied the request to extradite Roman Polanski,” said Mr Cooley in a statement according to the office of the district attorney. He added that his office will discuss the issue with the U.S. Department of Justice.
The district attorney confirmed that a request for extradition was filed at once after the U.S. was informed of Polanski’s arrest in Switzerland. This is opposite to the Swiss reasoning. They considered the fact that the U.S. waited four years after Polanski moved to the country to to file the request interfered with “protection of confidence,” a principle of international law.
Mr. Phillip Crowley, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau for Public Affairs regarded the reasoning as “an argument without merit.”
For the potential technical errors the Swiss department alluded to in the letter of rejection, Mr. Crowley pointed out that a case of sexually offending against a child is not “a matter of technicality.”
“We will continue to seek justice in this case and we will evaluate our options,” said Crowley.
