It may be worth mentioning that the judge had reneged on the plea deal.
Yeah, but the judge, I’m sure, was a Holocaust survivor too, so she’s excused. Therefore, Polanski has no excuse.
(Even if the judge wasn’t a Holocaust survivor, the judge was a woman and all women are victims and therefore all women are incapable of doing wrong.
Ergo, the judge did no wrong in hinting (hearsay evidence on this only) that she would disregard the plea agreement and sentence him to 100 years. Since the judge did no wrong, Polanski can’t use the judge’s reneging as an excuse.
Ergo, Polanski has no excuse.
It is rare for a Judge to not honor a plea bargain BUT it is never guaranteed that a Judge will accept it, and Judges are not ethically allowed to participate in the negotiations (although some routinely do, or at least give the sides a sign that he will live with it or not). One thing I read in the Larry King interview of victim: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0302/24/lkl.00.html
is that Polanski pleaded to Unlawful Sex with a Minor and that he had already served 45 days when being evaluated (where is the shrink’s report?). It sounds like it was reduced from a Rape charge to what amounts to statutory rape, a much less severe charge. He should just stick with his plea and see what the new Judge gives him. The former Judge has apparently passed away. The French and Polish authorities say they will appeal to Obama for clemency. It is out of his hands as it is a state charge. Maybe Ahnold will give him a break, or maybe he’ll get out his Conan the Barbarian sword and go medieval on him.