Polanski begins house arrest in chalet

ZURICH, Switzerland, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. filmmaker Roman Polanski has been released from a Swiss jail and begun his house arrest in a luxurious chalet in Gstaad, officials said.

Polanski was allowed to leave prison after he posted $4.5 million bail, surrendered his travel documents and was fitted with an electronic monitoring bracelet, Swissinfo reported Friday.

Polanski, 76, was arrested Sept. 26 in Zurich for a 1977 child-sex case in Los Angeles.

The internationally famous filmmaker, who lives in France but was in Switzerland to attend a film festival, has not traveled to the United States since he pleaded guilty in a Los Angeles court to having unlawful sex with a minor and then fled the country before he could be sentenced. He was accused of drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl.

Polanski's lawyers have alleged misconduct on the part of the Los Angeles criminal justice system at the time of the plea deal, and are fighting extradition from Switzerland to the United States.

Swissinfo said Polanski will remain under house arrest until Swiss authorities decide whether to allow him to be extradited to the United States.