Switzerland Denies Polanski's Bid for Release

This is strike one in Roman Polanski's current legal battles. Swiss officials have denied his request for an immediate release on bail. They fear he will attempt to flee. Considering he fled the U.S. prior to sentencing in the crime of sex with a minor, this isn't a bad assumption.

Polanski was arrested on Sept. 26th as he arrived in Zurich to receive an award from a film festival. Since fleeing in the late 1970s, authorities in Los Angeles have considered him a convicted felon and a fugitive. Switzerland said there has been an international warrant out on him since 2005.

Since his arrest, a who's who list of Hollywood dignitaries have come to the fore, asking for the 76-year-old director's release. This has led to much criticism over the perception that Hollywood, and celebrities in general, always expect a slap on the wrist, and nothing more, in these sorts of cases.

Polanski was accused of plying then 13-year-old Samantha Gaimer with champagne and part of a Quaalude pill during a modeling shoot in 1977, and raping her. He was indicted on six felony counts, including rape by use of drugs, child molesting and sodomy, but in a plea bargain, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of unlawful sexual intercourse.

For this, he was sent to prison for 42 days for psychological evaluation. Lawyers agreed that would be his full sentence, but the judge tried to renege on the plea bargain, as shown in the 2008 film, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired.

Samantha Geimer has repeated asked that charges against Polanski be dropped. However, it should be noted that Polanski and Geimer reached a $500,000 settlement in October 1993, according to documents recently released in Los Angeles.