Roman Polanski cleared in defamation suit amidst renewed controversy

A Paris court acquitted Roman Polanski in a defamation case. The accusations came from Charlotte Lewis, who alleged that Polanski called her a liar in response to her previous claims.

The accusations involved British actress Charlotte Lewis accusing the director of rape and then being labelled a liar by him during a 2019 "Paris Match" interview.

The court assessed if Polanski's comments, alleged to have tarnished Lewis's reputation, overstepped the bounds of acceptable criticism and if they constituted a misuse of freedom of speech. The defence argued that Polanski was defending his reputation, countering public accusations. Having thoroughly scrutinized the evidence and witness statements, the judge concluded that Polanski's statements did not exceed the bounds of rightful defence of one's reputation, thus declaring him not guilty in the defamation case.

Roman Polanski has been a figure of controversy for years. A reminder that back in 2010, Charlotte Lewis accused him of forcing her into sexual contact when she was merely 16 years old. Lewis revealed this during the Cannes Film Festival, stating that the incident had ruined her career.

In response to the accusations, Polanski discussed the challenging circumstances of his 2009 arrest in Switzerland upon the request of U.S. authorities, aimed at his extradition. He perceived the timing of Lewis's accusations following this arrest as an opportunistic move against him.

In a 2019 "Gazeta Wyborcza" interview, Polanski mentioned that these allegations were part of a campaign to discredit him. He also highlighted that his situation reflects a broader issue concerning human rights respect in his case, likening his ordeal to medieval witch trials where, at least, the accused were allowed a final statement.