Roman Polanski Trusts Poland Won’t Extradite Him to US

(AP). Filmmaker Roman Polanski says he hopes Poland won’t extradite him to the U.S., where he is wanted in a 1977 [inappropriate behavior] case.

The Oscar-winning director is in Poland preparing for a movie, which he is planning to film in February and March.

The U.S. justice authorities recently asked Poland to arrest and extradite Polanski, 81, who has Polish and French passports. In October, prosecutors in Krakow, where Polanski has an apartment, questioned him but refused to arrest him. They are planning to question him again following the arrival of the extradition request this month.

“I will submit myself to the procedure and we will see,” Polanski told TVN24 on Tuesday. “I have confidence in Poland’s justice system.”

Polanski lives in France but sometimes visits and works in Poland.

In October, he was in Warsaw for the opening of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews and then traveled to Krakow, where he met the prosecutors. He hired Polish lawyers in anticipation of the extradition request.

Poland generally doesn’t allow extradition of its citizens, but has an extradition agreement with the U.S.

Paris-born to Polish Jewish parents, Polanski spent his childhood and youth in Poland and lived in the Krakow Ghetto during World War II.

His movements are restricted by an Interpol warrant in effect in 188 countries, but he is avoiding extradition, traveling between France, Poland and Switzerland, which in 2010 refused to extradite him.

In 1977, Polanski pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful intercourse, and was sentenced to prison for a 90-day psychiatric evaluation. He was released after 42 days and, fearing the judge would force him to serve the remainder of the sentence, he fled the U.S.

Polanski won an Academy Award for best director for his 2002 film “The Pianist” that was filmed in Poland, and was also twice nominated.