New York City, N.Y., Sep 30, 2009 / 22:14 pm
Hollywood celebrities’ sympathetic treatment of convicted statutory rapist Roman Polanski is evidence of a double standard, Catholic League president Bill Donohue has said. He contrasts the reaction to the filmmaker’s arrest with the outrage over clerical sexual abuse.
In 1977 filmmaker Roman Polanski pled guilty to having sexual relations with a 13-year-old girl in a plea bargain, which dropped more serious charges including the drugging and raping of the girl. He skipped bail and fled to Europe in 1978.
He was recently arrested in Switzerland on his way to accept an award for Lifetime Achievement at the Zurich Film Festival. The United States had issued an international warrant for his arrest in 2005.
Writing in a Tuesday press release, Donohue reported that the Zurich Film Festival jury displayed red badges reading “Free Polanski” while stars such as actress Debra Winger and filmmaker Woody Allen defended him.