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A28 u.s. news
Diamars 19 Juli 2022

Prosecutor: Judge reneged on promise in Polanski abuse case

since called for an end to case. Polanski, 88, who was nomi-
nated for Oscars for 1974′s After a report by probation
Defense lawyer Harland “Chinatown” and 1979′s officials that Polanski should
Braun said Friday — in ex- “Tess,” won the best director serve no time behind bars,
pectation of the transcript’s statuette for “The Pianist” in Rittenband sent the director
release — that the develop- 2003. But he wasn’t able to to state prison for a 90-day
ment would renew his effort accept it because he faces ar- diagnostic evaluation to help
to have Polanski sentenced in rest in the U.S. determine what punishment
absentia, which would end he should face.
his status as a fugitive from France, Switzerland and Po-
justice. land rejected bids to extra- The judge said that as long
dite him back to the United as Polanski received a favor-
Braun has unsuccessfully States and he continues to able report from the prison,
tried that before with pros- be feted in Europe, winning he would serve no additional
ecutors asserting and judges praise and working with ma- time, Gunson said.
agreeing that Polanski needs jor actors. The Academy of
(AP) — A Los Angeles to show up in Los Angeles Motion Picture Arts and Sci- After six weeks of evaluation
judge privately told law- “The judge had promised Superior Court to resolve the ences, however, expelled him in prison, Polanski was re-
yers he would renege on a him on two occasions ... matter. from its membership in 2018 leased with a recommenda-
promise and imprison Ro- something that he reneged after the #MeToo movement tion he only serve probation,
man Polanski for sexually on,” Gunson said. “So it Release of the transcript, spurred a reckoning about Braun said.
abusing a 13-year-old girl wasn’t surprising to me that, which was ordered by a Cali- sexual misconduct.
in 1977, a former prosecu- when he was told he was fornia appeals court Wednes- But Rittenband thought the
tor testified, setting the going to be sent off to state day after Los Angeles District Polanski has argued that there probation and prison reports
stage for the renowned di- prison ... that he could not or Attorney George Gascón was judicial misconduct in were superficial and a “white-
rector to flee the U.S. as a would not trust the judge.” dropped longstanding objec- his case. In 2010, a Los An- wash,” said Gunson, who
fugitive. tions his predecessors made geles court took sealed tes- agreed they downplayed or
Polanski’s victim testified be- to its release, may support timony from Gunson about misstated Polanski’s crimes.
A previously sealed transcript fore a grand jury that during Polanski’s claims that he was his recollections of promises
obtained by The Associated a photo shoot at Jack Nich- going to be railroaded by a made to the director by the The judge privately told
Press late Sunday of testi- olson’s house in March 1977 corrupt judge. judge in 1977. Gunson and Polanski’s law-
mony by retired Deputy Dis- when the actor wasn’t home, yer that he had to be tougher
trict Attorney Roger Gunson Polanski gave her champagne The legal saga has played on Polanski’s lawyers, who were because of criticism in the
supports Polanski’s claim that and part of a sedative, then both sides of the Atlantic as a in the room during Gunson’s news media.
he fled on the eve of sentenc- forced her to have sex. The recurring scene over four de- testimony but couldn’t use it
ing in 1978 because he didn’t girl said she didn’t fight him cades of a life marred by trag- in court, have long sought to He said he would send Po-
think he was getting a fair because she was afraid of him edy and also triumph. unseal that transcript to help lanski to prison for a longer
deal. but her mother later called their case. term but would then get him
police. As a child, Polanski escaped released within 120 days,
Gunson said during closed- the Krakow Ghetto dur- Judge Laurence Rittenband, which was possible under
door testimony in 2010 that When the girl refused to tes- ing the Holocaust. His wife, now deceased, had been sentencing rules at the time.
the judge broke a promise tify in court, Polanski pleaded Sharon Tate, was among the swayed by publicity in the
to let Polanski go free after guilty to unlawful sex with a seven people murdered in case and changed his mind “Roman says, ‘How can I
state prison officials had de- minor in exchange for pros- 1969 by followers of Charles several times about the pun- trust the judge that’s lied
termined he shouldn’t serve ecutors dropping drug, rape Manson. ishment Polanski should twice?’ So he takes off to Eu-
hard time. and sodomy charges. She has face, Braun said. rope,” Braun said.

US agencies temporarily barred from enforcing LGBTQ guidance

(AP) - A judge in Ten- agreed with the attorneys Tennessee and West Virginia. portunity Commission re- ticipating on female sports
nessee has temporarily generals’ argument and is- leased guidance that month teams. The state attorneys
barred two federal agen- sued a temporary injunction The directives regarding dis- about what could constitute general contend that the au-
cies from enforcing direc- that prevents the agencies crimination based on sexual discrimination against LG- thority over such policies
tives issued by President from applying that guidance orientation was issued by the BTQ people and advised the “properly belongs to Con-
Joe Biden’s administra- on LGBTQ discrimination U.S. Department of Educa- public about how to file a gress, the States, and the peo-
tion that extended protec- until the matter can be re- tion and the Equal Employ- complaint. ple.”
tions for LGBTQ people solved by courts. ment Opportunity Commis-
in schools and workplaces. sion in June following a land- With its guidance, the Biden The education policy car-
“As demonstrated above, the mark civil rights decision by administration in part took a ried the possibility of federal
U.S. District Judge Charles harm alleged by Plaintiff U.S. Supreme Court in 2020 stand against laws and pro- sanctions against schools and
Atchley Jr. in an order on States is already occurring that, under a provision called posals in a growing number colleges that fail to protect
Friday ruled for the 20 state — their sovereign power to Title VII, protects gay, lesbian of states that aim to forbid gay and transgender students.
attorneys general who sued enforce their own legal code and transgender people from transgender girls from par-
last August claiming the is hampered by the issuance discrimination in the work-
Biden administration direc- of Defendants’ guidance and place.
tives infringe on states’ right they face substantial pressure
to enact laws that, for exam- to change their state laws as a The Department of Educa-
ple, prevent students from result,” Atchley wrote. tion guidance from June 2021
participating in sports based said discrimination based on
on their gender identity or The attorneys general are a student’s sexual orientation
requiring schools and busi- from Alabama, Alaska, Arizo- or gender identity would be
nesses to provide bathrooms na, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, treated as a violation of Title
and showers to accommodate Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, IX, the 1972 federal law that
transgender people. Louisiana, Mississippi, Mis- protects sex discrimination in
souri, Montana, Nebraska, education.
Atchley, appointed by Presi- Ohio, Oklahoma, South
dent Donald Trump in 2020, Carolina, South Dakota, The Equal Employment Op-