The woman Roman Polanski was jailed for raping in the late 1970s wants the famed filmmaker to return to the U.S. as a free man.
Samantha Geimer, now 52, told TMZ that she’s long forgiven Mr. Polanksi since he forced himself on her at Jack Nicholson’s house when she was just 13 years old. She said she supports the unsealing of secret testimony in the 1977 case that the filmmaker’s attorney claims could absolve him in the U.S.
“I think they should release it,” Ms. Geimer said. “I think the only reason they’re keeping it sealed is to cover up their own misconduct in the DA’s office and in the court.”
Mr. Polanski, who pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor and spent 42 days in a California jail for the 1977 case, fled to Paris in 1978 when the judge suggested in private remarks that he would back out of the sentencing agreement, The Associated Press reported.
Mr. Braun has asked a Los Angeles judge to unseal a secret transcript of testimony from the original prosecutor in the case, retired Deputy District Attorney Roger Gunson, which Mr. Braun said will confirm the deal. He said Mr. Gunson’s testimony might help Mr. Polanski’s argument that he already served his time in jail and house arrest in Switzerland during a failed extradition effort in 2010, AP reported.
“Gunson testified as to all the facts of what happened — the inappropriate, the illegal things the judge did, the kind of backroom dealings that aren’t recorded because they were verbal,” Ms. Geimer told TMZ.
“Roman’s a pretty big celebrity,” she said. “If somebody can’t get a piece of this, if there’s nothing in it for somebody, they don’t want to do the right thing. So, I’m all for the truth getting out.”
“He’s apologized. I forgive him,” she added. “I know that he’s sorry and he didn’t meant to hurt me and he’s admitted what he did, he went to jail and I’m not going to carry a bunch of resentment. And much worse things happen to people, I’m aware of that.”
Los Angeles Superior Court Scott Gordon has set a hearing for Feb. 24.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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