Samantha Geimer was 13 in 1977 when she had sex with director Roman Polanski. Today Polanski, in what has come to be described as a rape, was expelled from the Motion Picture Academy. This, despite Geimer supporting him over the years, and Polanski having served time in jail. He has never been allowed to return to the US and likely never will set foot here. Polanski has two Oscars, for “Chinatown” and “The Pianist.”
Geimer posted this to her blog this afternoon, an essay called “So you want to know what I think?” She still supports Polanski. (BTW I’ve met and spoken with Geimer several times, she is a bright, interesting person who brings a lot to this conversation.)
She writes: The Academy’s decision highlights the need for the misconduct and corruption in this case, not only in 1977, but as it has continued to this day, be IMMEDIATELY investigated. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office has refused to pursue justice, instead it continues to cover up the illegal and inappropriate activity in the Court, and in particular, its own office. DAs are not elected to seek the limelight celebrity cases afford them as preferable to serving the public interest. The disgusting behavior in the Los Angeles Districts Attorney’s office helped create today’s trend of accusations being the same as convictions, our Courts are diminished by their actions.
As for the Academy expelling a member who 41 years ago plead guilty to a single charge and served his sentence, it is an ugly and cruel action which serves only appearance. It does nothing to change the sexist culture in Hollywood today and simply proves that they will eat their own to survive. I say to Roman, good riddance to bad rubbish, the Academy has no true honor, it’s all just PR.
