Roman Polanski will not face trial over 1973 rape allegations

The lawsuit, filed in June 2023, detailed claims from an anonymous plaintiff who alleged that Polanski raped her when she was underage at his Benedict Canyon home

Roman Polanski will not face trial in Los Angeles next year regarding allegations of the rape of a minor in 1973. AFP reported that the case has been settled “to the parties’ mutual satisfaction” and is now officially dismissed, according to Polanski’s attorney, Alexander Rufus-Isaacs. Originally set for trial in August 2025, this development marks a major turn in a case that has lingered for decades.

The lawsuit, filed in June 2023, detailed claims from an anonymous plaintiff who alleged that Polanski raped her when she was underage at his Benedict Canyon home. The woman, identified as Robin M. during a 2017 press conference, stated that she met Polanski at a party, where he later invited her to dinner. According to the lawsuit, after consuming tequila, she became incapacitated and awoke in Polanski’s bed, where he expressed his intentions against her wishes.

Gloria Allred, the attorney representing Robin M., confirmed that “a settlement of claims was agreed to by the parties to their mutual satisfaction.” Polanski has consistently denied the allegations, asserting through his legal counsel that the appropriate venue for such claims is the court system.

Since 1978, Polanski has been a fugitive from U.S. justice, having fled the country prior to sentencing for the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl. His return to the U.S. remains fraught with legal peril, as efforts to resolve the criminal case against him have repeatedly faltered.

Polanski recently faced defamation claims in Paris from actress Charlotte Lewis, who accused him of sexual assault. He was acquitted of those charges in May.

Published - October 23, 2024 04:16 pm IST