Roman Polanski on House Arrest for His 1977 California Statutory Rape Charges
After decades of living on the run, director Roman Polanski began house arrest last Friday. This sentence stems from his 1977 conviction where he plead guilty to California statutory rape, Penal Code 261.5 PC. He is currently serving his sentence in Switzerland, where he must remain in his chalet at all times and is monitored via his electronic anklet. Polanski will remain there until Switzerland decides how to respond to a U.S. extradition request.
Before Polanski fled the country in 1978, he faced a 90-day county jail sentence for his statutory rape charge (also commonly referred to as unlawful sex with a minor). In today’s times, a Penal Code 261.5 California statutory rape charge…under the same or similar circumstances as Polanski’s…would likely result in a one-year sentence.
This prediction is based on a study conducted by the Los Angeles Times. The Times analyzed sentencing data to determine how Los Angles courts handle statutory rape cases where the defendant admits to the charge in exchange for the dismissal of more serious rape charges (just like Polanski did). It concluded that cases that mirror the procedural contours of Polanski’s case resulted in a prison sentence of a year or more.
Because of changes in the law since 1977, Polanski currently faces a maximum two-year California State Prison sentence for his statutory rape charge.
