What they’re saying about Roman Polanski going free

The United States has said it will not give up its attempts to extradite Roman Polanski following yesterday’s decision by Switzerland to set the director free.

"We have not forgotten about this case," said Philip Crowley, a spokesman for the US state department.

The state of California has been attempting to extradite Polanski ever since he fled from Los Angeles to Paris, via London, in 1978 because he feared a judge would refuse to honour the terms of a plea bargain which saw him agree to undergo psychological evaluation after admitting to having unlawful sexual intercourse with 13-year-old Samantha Geimer.

Polanski was held by Swiss authorities in September 2009 at the request of the US and had been under house arrest since December. He was set free because Switzerland's justice ministry could not be sure there were no errors in the American case for extradition. Apparently the US failed to provide confidential testimony regarding Polanski's sentencing procedure between 1977 and 1978.

Crowley responded to the criticism saying: "To push this case aside based on technicalities we think is regrettable."

Polanski, who has left his chalet in the Swiss town of Gstaad for the first time in six months, said in a statement: "I simply want, from the bottom of my heart, to thank all those who supported me."  

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: Johann Hari, the Independent: "So now we know. If you are a 44-year-old man, you can drug and anally rape a terrified 13-year-old girl as she sobs, says 'No, no, no,' and pleads for her asthma medication – all according to the victim's sworn testimony – and face no punishment at all. You just have to meet two criteria – (a) you have to run away and stay away for a few decades; and (b) you need to direct some good films."Emmanuelle Seigner, Polanski's wife: "It is with great pleasure that I have just learned of my husband's release. I am really looking forward to being able to make plans and to once again have a normal family life, especially with my children, who did not deserve this suffering."

French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner: "I am delighted. The great Franco-Polish director will from now on be able to rejoin his friends and family and work fully on his artistic projects."

Agnes Poirier, in the Guardian: "What was also most disturbing in the whole affair was the prurient voyeurism of Polanski's detractors, indulging in the very details of his alleged crimes. Reactions to the case disturbingly revealed rampant moral McCarthyism. Anyone defending the film-maker was immediately accused of making an apology for rape."

Ed Morrisey, Hot Air: "Switzerland just didn't want to turn Polanski over to the US for fear of falling out of favour with the entertainment industry, and the EuroLeft that adores the child rapist Polanski. When they couldn't come up with a good reason, they had to claim that the lack of a good reason was reason enough to reject the request."

Samantha Geimer, Polanski's victim, on Europe 1 radio: "I am satisfied with this decision and I hope that the district attorney will now close the case and get it over once and for all."

Cristina Odone, Daily Telegraph: "Here's a maxim for Left-wing luvvies: let's treat the Pope like a rapist, and treat a rapist like the Pope. In the eyes of Lefty luvvies the only real difference between the Pope and Polanski is that the latter is an artist. That, you see, erases a multitude of sins – yes, even the rape of a 13-year-old girl. The same people who are viciously denouncing Benedict even though he has not been convicted of any crime defend Polanski despite his conviction because he's 'one of us'."

Perez Hilton, blogger: "And so another child sex offender walks around free in the world. Amazing what dirty politics (and we'd wager a hefty bribe to the Switzerland government) can do!" ·