Demands for Justice Reignite as Roman Polanski's Wife Attempts to Ease His Return to U.S.

Despite decades in self-imposed exile, convicted child molester Roman Polanski's wife, Emmanuelle Seigner, is striving to smooth the path for her husband's return to the United States. Seigner argues that the passage of time has mended the wounds caused by Polanski's criminal acts. However, according to legal standards and moral norms, crimes of such severity aren't simply erased by time.

Polanski, at the age of 43, was charged with drugging and raping 13-year-old Samantha Gailey in 1977. Despite admitting guilt to a lesser charge under a plea agreement designed to spare him jail time beyond the 42 days he spent undergoing a psychiatric assessment, Polanski fled to Europe in 1978 upon hearing the judge intended to reject the deal and sentence him to 50 years imprisonment.

Since his escape, Polanski has resided in luxury in Paris, continuing his career in film. This included receiving the Best Director Oscar in 2002 for "The Pianist". More troubling accusations have since emerged of Polanski engaging in illicit relationships with minors, claims he has persistently denied.

Seigner, who married Polanski when she was 23 and he was 56, emphasizes that Gailey has stated she wasn't a victim and was at peace with Polanski's actions. Gailey, now 60, accepted a $600,000 settlement from Polanski in the 1990s and has expressed that she feels burdened by having to frequently downplay the impact of the rape.

In a bitter twist, Gailey recalls how in her modelling days, sexual relations between underage models and older photographers were common. However, such statements do not mitigate the gravity of Polanski's actions. Irrespective of a victim's stance, the law stipulates that adults engaging in sexual activity with minors must face legal repercussions.

Ironically, Polanski's own 1974 film "Chinatown" portrayed a character, played by John Huston, who sexually abuses his 15-year-old daughter, fathering a child and prompting the mother's desperate efforts to protect the child from him. Polanski, as the director and co-writer, crafted the character as an abhorrent, power-hungry monster, raising questions about whether Polanski was unwittingly exposing his own guilt.

Speculation aside, if Polanski truly wishes to make amends, he should face the legal consequences of his actions. The court of law, not the court of public opinion, is where he needs to plead his case.