Roman Polanski Pictured Smiling With Rape Victim Samantha Geimer for First Time in 45 Years: 'He Paid His Debt to Society...End of Story'
Director Roman Polanski was pictured smiling with his victim, Samantha Geimer, for the first time since raping the then-13-year-old more than 40 years ago, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In a surprising development to come 45 years after Polanski raped Geimer in Los Angeles in 1977, the disgraced director’s wife – Emmanuelle Seigner – posted a photo of Polanski and Geimer together to Instagram on Saturday.
Although it is unclear when the photo was taken, Seigner posted the picture to Instagram shortly after Geimer sat for an interview with Le Point magazine, which was published on April 13.
“Let's be very clear, what happened with Polanski was never a big problem for me,” Geimer told Seigner during the interview last month. “I didn't even know it was illegal, that someone could get arrested for it.”
“I was fine, I'm still fine, and that this thing was made into something bigger weighs heavily on me,” Polanski’s victim, now 60, continued. “Having to constantly repeat that it was no big deal is a terrible burden.”
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Polanski – then 43 – was accused of drugging and raping Geimer – then 13 – in 1977 at Jack Nicholson’s home in Mulholland Drive.
Polanski ultimately pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor – or statutory rape – in August 1977, but fled the United States for France in 1978 just hours before being sentenced.
The Oscar-winning director, now 89, has lived abroad ever since to avoid the still-active outstanding warrant for his arrest.
“Everyone should know by now that Roman has served his sentence,” Geimer told Seigner during the interview with the French magazine last month. “Which was…long, if you want my opinion.”
“From my side, nobody wanted him to go to jail, but he did and it was enough,” she continued, referencing the fact Polanski spent 42 days in jail for the attack. “He paid his debt to society. There, end of story.”
While the photo of Polanski and Geimer posted to Instagram on Saturday is believed to be the first time the pair have met since the attack 45 years ago, Geimer revealed during her interview that she and Polanski have shared email exchanges together in recent years.
“We're not buddies,” Geimer said. “But, I mean, I have been in touch with him just a little bit by email. Just personal stuff, nothing worth talking about.”
Geimer also defended Polanski and argued the charges against the 89-year-old director should be dropped. She also argued Polanski should be allowed to return to the U.S. without fear of arrest.
“People pretend to act in the name of justice, or because they support me, but it's the antithesis of what I want and of all I say that I want,” Geimer charged in her interview with Le Point. “They think of themselves as morally superior, when they're just taking the easy way out.”
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“The extradition attempt, the fact that Roman was arrested like that, it was so unfair and so in opposition to justice,” she continued. “He did everything that was asked of him until the situation went berserk he had no other choice but to flee.”
“Anyone who thinks that he deserves to be in prison is wrong. It isn't the case today and it wasn't the case yesterday.”