Swiss Court Grants Polanski $4.5M Bail
The Swiss Criminal Court in Zurich has granted $4.5 million bail for director Roman Polanski, although he is currently in prison and is expected to remain there while the Swiss Justice Ministry decides in coming days whether to appeal his release.
Polanski pleaded guilty in 1977 to having sex with a 13-year-old girl but fled the United States on the eve of his sentencing more than 30 years ago. He was arrested in September upon arriving in Zurich to receive an award at a film festival there.
This is a reversal of the court’s rejection last month of bail for Polanski: “According to Swiss law, detention is the rule during the entire extradition proceedings. The court considered the risk that Roman Polanski might flee if released from custody as high,” the Swiss Federal Criminal Court said in a statement at the time, Reuters reported.
The court said in a statement today that they still consider Polanski a high flight risk. However, the size of the bail amount—secured by Polanski’s Paris apartment—gives the court confidence that Polanski would remain under house arrest at his chalet in Switzerland, the Associated Press reported.
“The 76-year-old appellant is married and the father of two minors,” the court said. “It can be assumed that as a responsible father he will, especially in view of his advanced age, attach greater importance to the financial security of his family than a younger person.”
Polanski will be under constant electronic surveillance at his chalet, the Swiss court said. Polanski’s lawyers declined to comment to the Associated Press.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office declined to comment on the bail decision to the L.A. Now blog of the Los Angeles Times.
