Polish court rejects U.S. request to extradite filmmaker Polanski

KRAKOW, Poland, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- A U.S. request to extradite film director Roman Polanski was rejected Friday by a Krakow, Poland, court.

Polanski has been pursued by U.S. legal officials since 1977 when he admitted he had sex with an underage girl, 13, and agreed to a plea bargain. But he fled the country to Britain and later to France, prior to his sentencing; he had already served 42 days in jail.

The ruling Friday likely closes the case against Polanski, 82, unless prosecutors choose to appeal it. If a Polish appeals court rules in favor of extradition, the country's justice secretary could still overrule it.

Judge Dariusz Mazur said an extradition to the United States would violate Polanski's rights because he could be subjected to confinement. Polanski was in Krakow, shooting a film, but was not present in court Friday. He has dual French and Polish citizenship, and residences in both countries.

Prior to Friday's court hearing, he agreed to abide by whatever decisions are made by the Polish justice system.

The United States rejected Polanski's request for dismissal of the case in 2009. He was jailed while visiting Switzerland that year, and placed under house arrest after an extradition request by the United States. The following year Swiss authorities freed him after deciding against extraditing him.

The director of films including Tess, Chinatown and The Pianist, Polanski is regarded in Poland as one of its greatest living artists.

This week Poland elected a new, more conservative government, and officials of the winning Law and Justice Party specifically noted its position that Polanski should face justice in the United States.